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CHARACTERISTICS 


PROPHECIES 

Applicable  te,  and  Defcriptive  of, 

THE 

POWER  AND  DURATION 

OF   THE 

FRENCH   REPUBLIC. 

ALSO, 

A   FPW   OBSERVATIONS    ILLUSTRATIVE    OF   THE 

PROBABLE  RESULT 

OF   THE 

PRESENT  DISORDERED  STATE 

OF    THE 

CIVIL  AND  POLITICAL  WORLD. 


NEW-YORK  : 
Printed  by  JOHN  TIEBOUT,  No.  258,  Pearl-si-rie*. 

1798. 


CHARACTERISTICS 


PROPHECIES,  &c. 


Ti 


HERE  are  fome  who  apprehend  that  the  prophecies  are  incon- 
fiftent  with  human  Realon,  and  therefore,  as  the  works  of  delunon, 
they  reject  them  altogether. 

There  are  others,  who  believe  them  to  be  the  genuine  offspring 
of  infpiration  ;  but  they  are  not  defigned  to  give  us  any  ideas  of  ma- 
ny important  future  events.  If  any  one  prefume  to  think,  that  by 
the  prophecies  he  can  calculate  the  time  of  ChriiVs  fecond  advent, 
within  fifty  or  an  hundred  years,  thay  fay  it  is  all  a  vain  and  idle 
conjecture  ;  for  of  that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no  man  &c.  but  we 
fuppofe  day  and  hour  here  are  to  be  taken  literally,  and  therefore,  is 
no  evidence  that  the  time  of  that  event  is  not  defcribed  and  pointed 
out  in  the  prophecies  ;  and  that  we  cannot  form  a  rational  conjec- 
ture about  the  time  of  that  advent.  But  even  if  it  were  to  be  taken 
in  the  fcnle  they  contend  for,  it  might  have  been  revealed  after  the 
time  our  Saviour  fpake  thofe  words.  And  we  find  Rev.  1,  i.  The 
revelation  of  Jefus  Chrift,  which  God  gave  unto  him,  to  fhew  unto 
his  fervants  things  which  muft  fhortly  come  to  pafs.  And  the  iecond 
advent  of  Chrift  is  one  of  thofe  things  :  Behold  I  cX>me  quickly. 
Thefe  obfervations  are  made,  not  with  an  expectation  of  removing 
any  deep  rooted  prejudices,  but  with  a  view  of  vindicating  a  differ- 
ent opinion. 

Before  we  proceed  to  the  particular  fubjeCt  in  view,  we  fhall  make 
a  few  remarks  on  two  volumes,  entitled  :  "  Illuftrations  of  Phophecy, 
in  the  courfe  of  which  are  elucidated  many  predictions  which  occur 
in  Ifaiah  or  Daniel,  in  the  writings  of  the  EvangeHfts,  or  the  book  of 
Revelation,  and  which  are  thought  to  foretell,  among  other  great 
events,  a  revolution  in  France,  favourable  to  the  interefts  of  man- 
kind, the  overthrow  of  the  papal  power,  and  of  ecclehaftical  tyranny, 
the  downfall  of  civil  defpotifm,  and  the  fubfequent  melioration  of  the 
date  of  the  world." 

That  lomething  good  may  be  derived  from  the  French  revolution 
is  a  pofftble  cafe  ;  but  whether  their  intentions  are  better,  than  thofe 
of  the  fons  of  Jacob,  who  maliciouily  fold  their  brother,  remains  to 
be  proved.  That  the  ftate  of  the  world  will  be  meliorated  by  the 
French  revolution,  is  more  than  I  can  believe.  The  idea  appears  to 
me  to  have  no  foundation  in  prophecy.  The  author  fays,  "  in  truth, 
fo  many  fcriptural  interpreters  have  apprehended  a  revolution  in 
France  to  be  predicted  by  the  apoftle,  that  1  am  fearful  of  exhaufting 
the  readers  patience,  by  an  examination  of  the  names. 

It  has  been  maintained  in  England  and  Scotland,  in  Holland  and 
France,  for  above  a  century  and  an  half.  Univerfally  will  it  be  granted 
to  Carry  the  greater  weight,  becauie  it  is  grounded  on  the  fame  pal- 
fa?e.  uDon  a  nortion  of  the  1  ith  c.  of  the  anocalvDfe." 


(     4     ) 

The  paffage  is,  i:  The  fame  hour  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  and 
the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell,  by  which  tenth  part  is  to  be  under- 
wood, one  of  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  the  great  city,  Romifh 
Babylon  was  divided*  This,  many  take  to  be  the  kingdom  of 
Prance." 

The  prophetic  narrative  refpefcVmg  the  witneffes  in  the  1  ith  c.  is 
evidently  in  the  nature  of  an  epilogue.  This  obfervation  properly 
attended  to,  renders  any  referrence  to  the  French  Monarcy  or  Re- 
public, extremely  improbable.  The  evident  anacronifm,  we  truft, 
"will  be  fufficient  to  let  afide  the  application  of  thole  words,  either 
to  the  Monarchy  or  Republic  of  France. 

This  epilogue  is  placed  between  the  6th  and  7th  trumpets  ;  and 
immediately  follows  the  hiftoric  view  given  of  the  tranfjftions  under 
the  6th  trumpet.  It  is'  not  an  epifode  or  digrefhon  from  the  main 
fubjeft  ;  for  John  having  given  a  hiftoric  view  of  the  tranfa&ion  of 
temporal  powers,  under  the  6th  trumpet  :  in  the  epilogue  he  repre- 
sents to  us,  the  ftate  and  fufferingsof  Chriftians  under  the  fame  pow- 
er j  and  ultimately  their  triumphant  deliverance  from  their  enemies. 

In  the  5th  and  6th  trumpets,  John  evidently  gives  us  a  hiftoric 
view  of  temporal  powers,  and  their  tranfa&ions  in  the  eaft.  Before 
he  entirely  leaves  them,  he  makes  this  epilogue  which  by  every  rule 
of  conftruftion,  ought  to  have  fome  connexion  with  that  which  pre- 
cedes it  ;  and  cannot  with  propriety  be  referred  to  powers,  which 
have  not  as  yet  been  mentioned,  and  are  not  introduced  till  after 
the  founding  of  the  -7th  trumpet.  It  is  extremely  improbable  that 
John  fhould,  in  this  place  and  connection  introduce  a  power,  which 
by  the  confeflion  of  all,  he  does  not  defcribe,  before  we  arrive  at 
the  13th  c.  where  we  find  a  bcaft  with  leven  heads  and  ten  horns 
crowned,  one  of  which  horns,  it  is  generally  agreed,  intends  the 
French  Monarchy.  The  epilogue  naturally  iuggefts  this  idea  to  us, 
That  it  is  John's  laftaddrefs  to  the  Chriftians  in  the  eaft  ;  after  which, 
he  commences  and  carries  on  a  hiftory  of  the  tranfa&ions  in  the 
weft.  The  5th  and  6th  trumpets,  in  connection  with  the  11th  c, 
plainly  furnifh  this  hifturic  view  :  Firft,  John  in  the  5th  trumpet 
introduces  Mahomet  and  the  lar.iccn  power,  which  laft,  was,  in  about 
three  hundred  years  nearly  annihilated.  Second,  in  the  6th  trumpet 
he  introduces  four  extraordinary  powers,  which  by  lome  are  fuppofed 
to  conftitute  the  Ottoman  power  :  but  mod  probably  intend 
Mahmud  the  Gaznevide,  Togrul  Beg,  ZingisKhan,  and  Tamerlane  ; 
becaufe  the  very  extraordinary  tranfaftions  of  thefe  powers,  may 
induce  us  to  believe,  that  they  are  noticed  in  prophecy  ;  and  becaule 
it  preierves  the  thread  of  John's  hiftory,  without  any  anacroniim. 
The  laft  of  thefe  powers  came  down  below  the  deftru&ion  of  the 
feven  churches  in  Aiia,  which  happened  a  little  after  the  year  1260. 
The  epilogue  had  in  view  ultimately  the  comfort  and  conlolationsof 
the  churches  in  the  eaft  :  They  are  affured  of  1 260  years  prelervation  : 
for  the  witnefles  no  doubt  intend  the  true  chriftians  in  thoie  churches  ; 
they  are  alio  plainly  informed  ol  the  complete  deftruftiori  of  thofe 
churches  ;  and  of  the  ftern  feverity  of  the  minifters  of  vengeance, 
who  would  not  luffer  their  dead  bodies  to  be  put  in  graves.  I  cannot 
find  that  the  Greek  word  vincma  here  ufed,  ever  means  a  common. 
grave  ;  and  if  it  does  not,  the  tranilation  gives  a  larger  meaning,  than 


.     (    5    ) 

three  days  and  an  half,  the  witneffes  fhould  live  again.  Thefe  days 
have  no  doubt  a  prophetic  meaning,  and  as  John  is  in  the  days  of 
the  feven  trumpets,  which  include  a  period  of  1260  years,  three  days 
and  an  half  will  be  630  years  :  the  great  event  therefore  referred  to, 
muft  happen  about  the  year  1890.  That  (uch  an  event  as  the  refur- 
reftion  of  the  witneffes,  will  happen  then,  or  near  about  that  time, 
we  have  the  molt  clear  and  fatisfaftory  evidence  from  Daniel  and 
John.  It  is  to  be  coilefted  from  Daniel  as  follows  :  The  icven  times 
that  were  to  pals  over  Nebuchadnezzar,  I  take  to  be  prophetic  ;  and 
consequently  intend  2520  years.  And  from  the  riling  up  of  Alexan- 
der the  great,  to  the  cleanfing  of  the  fan&uary,  there  are  to  be  2300 
years  ;  and  from  the  rifing  up  of  Mahomet,  to  the  end  of  the  Ma- 
hometan delufion  1260  years.  Thefe  feverai periods  end  in  the  year 
1890,  and  are  all  that  we  find  in  Daniel  that  may  be  called  precile 
periods.  In  John  we  have  only  one  precile  prophetic  period,  which 
is  in  the  nth  c.  where  it  is  faid,  that  the  holy  city  fhail  be  trodden 
under  foot  forty  two  months,  or  1260  years.  And  the  thread  of  the 
difcourfe  is  a  fufficient  evidence,  that  the  gentiles  defignate  the 
Mahometan  delufion. 

Another  part  of  John's  defcription  is,  that  there  was  a  great  earth- 
quake, and  the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell.  If-the  tranuation  had  faid 
no  more  than  the  Greek,  it  would  have  been,  And  the  tenth  of  the  city 
Jell,  And  whether  a  tenth  part,  or  tenth  head  of  the  city  is  intend- 
ed, requires  mature  confideration  ;  for  the  conflruftion  will  be  dif- 
ferent, according  as  the  one  or  the  other  is  adopted.  The  term, 
tenth,  does  not  neceffarily  oblige  us  to  include  in  the  term,  city,  ten 
kingdoms  in  Europe.  The  word  city  may  be  uied  in  a  more  exten- 
sive fen  fe  ;  and  the  word  tenth,  may  be  fo  uied  as  to  be  expreflive  of 
the  whole  of  the  city  :  it  mav  be,  and  fometimes  is  uied  integrally. 
God  has  in  his  wifdom  feen  fit  to  reprefent  to  us  under  the  image  of 
a  man,  feverai  diftintt  parts  of  a  great  city  ;  among  which,  Babylon 
was  the  head  of  gold.  There  can  be  no  doubt  but  John  has  reffer- 
rence  to  this  great  image,  when  he  fays,  five  are  fallen  &c.  If  this  be 
the  mode  of  computation,  nine  parts  having  previoufly  fallen,  when 
the  tenth  falls,  the  whole  falls.  We  may  eafily  reckon  up  nine  parts 
of  the  great  city  as  follows  :  Babylon,  Periia,  Macedonia,  the  Ro- 
man Commonwealth,  Imperial  Rome,  the  eaftern  and  weitern  Em- 
pires, feven  in  number.  The  ten  horns  are  reprelented  as  growing 
out  of  the  head  of  the  foregoing  powers,  are  cotemporary  with  eacli 
other,  and  are  to  be  reckoned  collc&ively  as  but  one,  which  is  an 
eighth  head.  The  ninth  is  the  Mahometan  power.  The  tenth  and 
laft  part  may  be  fuch  a  fiate  of  fociety,  as  has  been  exhibited  to 
us  in  France,  fince  1789.  This  laft  (late  of  mankind  is  reprelented 
as  exceeding  all  the  other  parts  in  wickednefs.  The  characteriftics 
of  it,  point  out  anarchy  and  confuiion,  bloodfhed,  and  great  political 
animofities  and  divifions,  as  abounding  when  God  fhall  come  to 
judge  the  world  for  its  extreme  wickednefs  ;  and  the  time  of  this 
coming  muft  be  in  the  tenth  and  laft  part  of  the  great  city. 

And  in  the  earthquake  were  flain  of  men  ieven  thoufand  fome 
tranflate,  feven  thoufand  names  of  men  were  flain,  but  the  Greek 
conveys  neither  of  thefe  ideas  :  The  Greek  word  chiliades,  ttanilited, 
thoufand,  is  a  fubftantive,    and  neceffarily    takes  a    genative  after   it. 


(     «     ) 

finds  of  men.  were  (lain  to  whom  belonged  feven  names,  which  re- 
fers us  to  the  deftru&ion  of  the  bead  having  leven  heads,  in  which 
the  others  are  apparently  included.  John  does  not  leave  his  Chrif- 
tian  friends  in  the  eaft,  till  he  has  exhibited  to  them  the  end  of  ty- 
rannical power  and  their  glorious  triumph  over  their  enemies,  in  a 
happy  relurre&ion,  after  a  period  of  630  years. 

The  French,  as  well  as  all  the  other  nations  of  the  earth,  may  expe- 
rience the  effe&s  of  the  great  earthquake,  yet  it  is  plain  to  me  that 
theyare  not  particularly  referred  to  by  that  paffage. 

We  now  proceed  to  point  out  where  we  apprehend  the  French 
Republic  is  exhibited  in  the  prophecies,  and  the  chara&eriftics  will, 
we  truil,  apply  themfelves  naturally,  and  without  any  violence  done 
to  them,  to  that  power. 

We  find  the  paffage  in  Daniel  7th,  7th.  as  follows  : — 

After  this  I  (aw  in  the  night  vifions,  and  beheld  a  fourth  beaft 
dreadful,  and  terrible  and  ftrong,  exceedingly  &c.  and  it  had  ten 
horns.  I  confidered  the  horns,  and  behold  there  came  up  among 
them  another  little  horn,  before  whom  there  were  three  of  the  firft. 
horns  plucked  up  by  the  roots,  and  in  this  horn  were  eyes  like  the 
eyes  of  man,  and  a  mouth  fpeaking  great  things.  Then  I  would 
know  the  truth  of  the  fourth  beaft,  &c.  and  of  the  ten  horns  that 
were  in  his  head,  and  of  the  other  which  came  up,  and  before  whom 
three  fell,  even  of  that  horn  that  had  eyes,  and  a  mouth  that  fpake 
very  great  things,  whole  look  was  more  ftout  than  his  fellows. 

I  beheld  and  the  fame  horn  made  war  with  the  faints,  and  prevailed 
again  ft  them,  until  the  ancient  of  days  came,  and  judgment  was  given 
to  the  faints  of  the  moft  high;  and  the  time  came  that  the  faints  pof- 
feffed  the  kingdom.  Thus  he  laid  &c.  the  ten  horns  out  cf  this  king- 
dom, are  ten  kings  that  fhall  ariie,  and  another  fhall  a  rife  after  them  ; 
znd  he  fhall  be  diverfe  from  the  firft  (the  feptuagent  renders  the 
laft  words,  he  fhall  exceed  all  before  him  in  wickednefs)  and  he 
fhall  l'ubdue  three  kings  ;  and  he  fhall  Ipeak  great  words  againft  the 
moft  high,  and  fhall  wear  out  the  faints  of  the  moft  high,  and  fhall 
think  to  change  times  and  laws  ;  and  they  fhall  be  given  into  his  hand, 
until  a  time,  and  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time  ;  but  the  judgment 
fhall  {it,  and  they  fhall  take  away  his  dominion  to  conlume  and  de- 
ftrcy  it  unto  the  end. 

I  am  leniible  that  fome  commentations  have  endeavored  to  fhew 
that  the  Papal  power  is  difignated  by  this  little  horn  ;  and  fo  it  ap- 
peared to  me  formerly  :  but  I  could  never  find  any  three  horns,  or 
powers,  that  the  Pope  had  deftroyed  :  nor  could  1  fee  that  the  Papal 
power  arole  after  the  ten  horns,  it  is  moft  probably  one  of  them,  and 
it  arofe  before  the  others. 

The  chartctereftics  of  the  little  horn  are, — 

1.  He  is  to  pluck    up  three  horns  by  the  roots. 

It  may  be  impcffible  for  the  moft  accurate  critic  in  the  Hebrew,  to 
decide  pofiiively,  that  the  tranflation  fhould  not  have  been,  ahorn  f$r 
«  little  time,  inftead  of  a  little  horn,  it  is  not  defcribed  as  little  in  point 
of  lize  or  ftrengili  ;  but  as  more  powerful  than  any  of  the  ten  horns. 
We  find  the  Roman  commonwealth  called  a  little  horn,  Dan.  8.  9. 
And  out  of  one  of  them  (that  is  of  the  four  notable  ones  into 
which   Alexanders  empire  was  divided)    came  forth  a  little  horn, 


(    7    ) 

Eaft,  and  toward  the  pleafant  land.  The  conftruction  may  be,  that  in 
the  beginning  the  horn  was  little  ;  but  in  procefs  of  time,  it  waxed 
exceeding  great.  But  whether  the  horn  is  to  be  long  lived  or  not,  muft 
be  colle&ed  from  a  confideration  of  other  paffages.  That  the  French 
Republic,  was  little  in  the  beginning,  compared  with  the  numerous 
foes  {he  had  to  contend  with,  is  a  matter  of  public  notoriety.  If  the 
little  horn,  as  we  luppofe,  intends  the  French  Republic,  the 
queftion  is,  what  three  horns  has  it  plucked  up  by  the  roots.  The 
anfwer  is,  the  French  Monarchy,  the  (even  Uni  ed  Provinces,  and 
the  Republic  of  Venice.  At  prefent  the  queftion  feems  to  be 
fufficiently  anfwered  by  the  actual  ftate  of  thele  three  powers;  but  a 
little  time  may  throw  greater  light  upon  this  queftion. 

2  He  has  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  man. 

This  charactereftic,  designates  the  great  number  and  vigilence  of 
thofe  employed  in  the  adminiftration  of  the  government.  Zenophon 
fays,  that  Cyrus  difpatched  a  great  number  of  officers  into  various 
parts  of  his  dominions ;  and  that  they  were  called  the  eyes  of  Cy- 

TUS. 

3  His  looks  are  to  be  more  ftout  than  his  fellsws. 

By  his  fellows,  cotemporary  powers  are  plainly  intended  :  and 
this  third  mark  is  now  a  prominent  feature  in  the  French  Repub- 
lic. 

4.  He  is  to  make  war  with  the  faints,  and  to  prevail  againft  them, 
until  the  ancient  of  days  comes. 

Whether  this  is  to  be  in  fact,  a  war  of  extermination,  or  a  public, 
and  profeffeihoftility,  confifting  in  an  oppofition  by  words,  and 
deffeminating  principles,  and  fentiments  avowedly  antichriftian,  may 
be  a  queftion.  The  latter  mode  probably  tends  more  directly  to 
deftroy  Chriftianity,  than  real  perfecution  :  and  is  therefore  a  more 
effectual  mode  of  warfare  ;  both  kinds  of  warfare  have  been  carried 
on  by  the  power  referred  to  :  of  which  many  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic clergy  by  experience,  have  witneffed.  The  warfare  is  to  laft 
until  the  coming  of  the  ancient  of  days,  not  to  regenerate,  but  utterly 
to  exterminate  the  power.  If  this  coming  intended  only  lpecial 
and  invisible  communications  of  the  holyfpirit,  no  period  of  time 
can  be  pointed  out  when  God  has  not  in  this  way  vifited  his  faints  : 
confequently  fomething  elfe  muft  be  intended  by  this  coming  :  it 
muft  mean  a  way  in  which  he  had  not  come  before  :  and  therefore  a 
perfonal  coming. 

5  He  is  to  exceed  in  wickednefs  or  hatred  all  thofe  that  have 
been  before  hiin. 

Our  tranflation  has,  he  fhall  be  diverfe  from  the  firft.  The 
Hebrew  may  have  this  meaning,  and  it  alio  has  the  former  :  and 
as  the  feptuagent  has  cholen  the  former  meaning,  it  is  moft  pro- 
bably the  true  fenfe.  There  is  no  impropriety  in  applying  this 
character  to  the  power  we  are  treating  of  ;  it  may  however  in  procels 
of  time  be  more  evident. 

6  He  is  to  fpeak  great  words  againft  the  moft  high. 

■  This    character  applys  literally.     Atheifm   has  been   openly  and 
publicly  avowed. 

7.  He  is  to  wear  out  the  faints  of  the  moft  high. 

This  muft  continue  to  be  the  effect,  whilft  the  prefent  principles 

T»vevail  .in  the   Frp.nrh  R^nnhiir     thft  fai  nu  \,v>tll  K«»  wnrn  nut  anrl   A*C- 


(     8     ) 

r«-byed,  by  ridicule  and  philolophy,  vainly  fo  called.  This  yth  mark, 
feems  to  be  a  neeeflary  confequence  of  the  6th,  for  if  they  fpeak 
againft  the  meft  high,  they  will  not  think  favourably  of  thofe  who 
fpeak  in  his  favour:  it  is  evident  that  this  power  is  to  be  com- 
pletely antichriflian,  there  is  to  be  a  complete  apoftacy  from,  and 
renunciation  of  Chriftian  Religion.  In  2.  Thef.  2,  3,  it  is  faid  let 
no  man  deceive  you  by  any  means,  for  that  day  fhall  not  come, 
except  there  come  a  falling  away  firft,  and  that  man  of  (in  be  re- 
vealed the  fon  of  perdition.  Falling  away  is  too  feeble  an  expreflion 
for  apoftacy,  as  it  is  in  the  Greek  :  the  Papal  power  has  not  thus 
abandoned  Divine  Revelation  ;  and  there  is  abundant  evidence  that 
it  is  not  the  little  horn. 

8.  He  is  to  think  to  change  times  and  laws. 

This  Chara&eriftic  is  peculiarly  applicable  to  the  French  Repub- 
lic, and  no  other  power  that  I  know  of.  They  have  changed  times, 
for  what  beneficial  purpofe,  except  a  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy,  I 
cartnot  divine. 

9.  Law  is  to  be  given  into  his  hands  until  a  time,  times  and  the 
dividing  of  time.  Power  and  authority  are  to  be  exercifed  by  the 
little  horn  fwr  a  limited  time  only  :  when  this  power  fhall  begin  to 
exereife  its  authority  is  not  fpecified  ;  but  whenever  it  commences, 
it  continues  afterwards  to  exercife  its  power,  until  the  termination 
of  a  certain  1260  years.  Commentators  have  generally  afcribed  to 
this  little  horn  a  duration  of  1260  years,  without  confidering  the 
precife  words  of  the  Prophet,  which  has  led  to  a  wrong  applica- 
tion. It  is  only  faid  that  law  fhall  be  given  into  his  hands,  until, 
the  confummation  of  a  certain  period  ;  it  is  not  faid  he  fhall  have  it 
for,  and  during  the  term  of  1260  years.  He  may  have  the  power 
only  an  100  years,  and  yet  have  it  until  the  end  of  a  certain  pro- 
phetic 1260  years.  The  author  of  thefe  remarks  has  lived  until 
the  confummation  of  the  year  1797,  but  he  is  not  1797  years  old. 

In  the  laft  chapter  of  Daniel,  it  is  afked,  how  long  fhall  it  be  to 
the  end  of  thefe  wonders  ?  It  is  aniwered,  it  fhall  be  for  a  time, 
times  and  an  half  or  1260  years.  This  period  evidently  commences, 
and  ends  with  the  Mahometan  Power :  and  to  the  end  of  this  period 
the  little  horn  is  to  continue,  which  wants  about  85  years  to  accom- 
plish it  ;  the  Mahometan  power  having  exifted  1175  years. 

It  appears  to  me,'  that  there  are  no  prophetic  delcriptions  in  the 
Bible,  that  apply  more  precifely  to  their  real  object,  than  the  cha- 
racieriftics  of  this  little  horn  do  to  the  French  Republic  :  and  if  fo, 
we  mult  conclude  that  it  will  be  permitted  by  divine  providence  to 
fill  up  the  fum  of  its  wickednefs.  And  fhould  this  be  the  cafe, 
what  mortification  muft  await  the  author  of  the  illuftrations  of  pro- 
phecy. The  great  advantages  to  be  derived  from  the  French  Revo- 
lution, will  all  be  illufory  and  chimerical  :  the  ftate  of  the  world 
from  that  fource,   will  experience  no  melioration. 

Having  demon  ftrated,  and  we  hope  fatisfa&orily,  that  the  author's 
ideas  .about  the  Revolution  in  France,  are  not  grounded  on  fcrip- 
ture  prophecy,  and  that  they  are  erronious  ;  it  follows  of  courfe^ 
that  his  ideas  about  the  Mellenium  muft  alfo  be  erronious.  The 
dilpute  about  that  ftate,  is  divided  between  thofe  who  conftrue 
figuratively,  and  thofe  who  hold  to  the  literal  meaning  of  fundry 
naiTa<rps  nf  fr.rintnre.      The  author  of  illuftrations  of  DropheCY.  ton- 


(     9     ) 

iends  earneftly  for  a  figurative  confrru&iou  :  «nc  obje&ion  to  a  Iit«- 
ral  conflruclion  is,  that  it  would  be  a  continued  miracle,  if  Jelus 
Chrifl  fhould  defcend  perfonally  and  reign  on  earth.  Has  Chrift 
ever  been  on  the  earth?  How  was  he  here,  miraculoufly  or  other- 
wife?  Miracles,  though  above,  are  not  inconfiflent  with  human, 
realon  :  and  Chrifl:  having  been  on  earth  once  miraculoufly,  nay 
twice,  by  an  extraordinary  generation,  and  by  a  relurreclion,  ha 
may  consequently  be  here  again. 

There  are  feveral  paflages  in  Daniel,  that  are  explicitly  oppofed 
to  a  figurative  conflruclion  :  in  immediate  connection  with  che  little 
horn,  we  have  the  fall  wing  defcriptions.  I  beheld  till  the  thrones 
were  cad  down,  and  the  ancient  of  days  did  fit,  whole  garments  were 
white  as  fnow,  the  hairs  of  his  head  like  the  pure  wool  ;  his  throne 
was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  his  wheels  as  burning  fire  :  a  fiery  flream 
iffuedand  came  forth  from  before  him,  thoufand  thoufandsminiftered 
unto  him,  and  ten  thoufand  times  ten  thoufand  flood  before  him  ; 
the   judgment  was  fit  and  the  books  were  opened. 

1  beheld,  and  the  lame  horn  made  war  with  the  faints,  and  pre- 
vailed againft  them,  until  the  ancient  of  days  came,  and  judgment 
was  given  to  the  faints  of  the  raoft  high  ;  and  the  time  came  that  the 
faints  poffeffed  the  kingdom. 

But  the  judgment  fhall  fit,  and  they  fhall  take  away  his  dominion, 
to  confume  and  to  deftroy  it  unto  the  end.  And  the  kingdom,  and 
the  greatnefs  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  fhall  be  given 
to  the  people  of  the  faints  of  the  moft  high  ;  whole  kingdom  is  an 
everlafling  kingdom,    and  all  dominions  fhall  ferve  and  obey  him. 

By  thele  paffages  it  is  evident,  that  a  glorious  kingdom  com- 
mences, the  judgment  fits,  and  the  books  are  opened,  in  immediate 
connection  with  the  deflruclion  and  end  of  the  little  horn  :  and  not 
only  lo,  but  as  the  little  horn  is  not  the  only  power  on  earth,  it  fays 
generally,  The  Thrones  were  cajl  down  :  that  is,  all  wicked  power  and 
dominion  are  to  be  deftroyed. 

This  matter  is  made  more  evident,  if  this  be  poffible,  in  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  11th,  and  beginning  of  the  12th  chapter  of  Daniel, 
where  with  the  deftiuftion  of  the  Mahometan  power,  is  connected 
the  refurre£lion,  and  lundiy  other  important  matters,  that  can  only 
take  place  at  the  day  of  judgment. 

"  And  he  fhall  plant  the  Tabernacles  of  his  palaces  between  the 
feas.  in  the  glorious  holy  mountain,  yet  he  fhall  come  to  his  end, 
and  none  fhall  help  him.  And  at  that  time  fhall  Michael  ftand  up, 
the  great  Prince  which  ftandeth  up  for  the  children  of  thy  people, 
and  there  fhall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  fuch  as  there  never  was  tince 
there  was  a  nation,  even  to  that  lametime.  And  at  that  time  thy 
people  fhall  be  delivered,  every  one  that  fhall  be  found  written  in 
the  book  ;  and  many  of  them  that  fleep  in  the  duil  of  the  earth 
fhall  awake,  fome  to  everlafling  life,  and  iome  to  fhame  and  ever- 
lafling contempt.  And  one  laid  to  the  man  clothed  in  linen,  how 
long  fhall  it  be  to  the  end  of  thefe  wonders  ?  And  1  heard  the  man 
which  was  clothed  in  linen,  when  he  held  up  his  right  hand,  and 
his  left  hand  unto  heaven,  and  fware  by  him  that-liveth  forever  and 
ever,  that  it  fhall  be  for  a  time,  times,  and  an  half:  and  when  h* 
fhall  have  accomplifhed  to  fcatter  the  power  of  the  holy  people,  all 


C    f<>    ) 

The  ableft  commentors  have  agreed,  that  the  Mahometan  powet 
is  defignated  by  the  words,  he  Jhall  plant  the  Tabernacles,  &c.  It  is 
therefore  plainly  confirmed  by  an  oath,  that  the  refurreftion  fhall 
take  place  at  the  time  of  the  deftruftion  of  the  Mahometan  power. 
Otherwife  what  do  thefe  words  intend,  all  the fe  things  JJ: all  beJtnifneiL 
The  deftruftion  of  the  Mahometan  power  is  the  very  epoch  for  the 
commencement  of  many  other  important  matters.  At  that  very 
time,  the  deliverance  of  thy  people,  of  every  one  that  is  found 
written  in  the  book,  and  the  refurreftion  fhall  take  place.  In  1260 
years  from  a  certain  epoch,  all  thefe  things  are  to  be  finifhed  :  and 
that  epoch  feems  evidently  to  be,  the  cornmen cement  of  the  Maho- 
metan power.  We  are  therefore  only  85  years  from  the  time,  when 
all  thefe  things  fha^l  be  finifhed.  If  there  be  any  figure  in  thefe 
paffages,  I  wifli  fincerely  to  be  informed  how  I  am  to  understand 
it  :  if  there  be  none,  \ve  are  not  far  diftant  from  the  general  refur- 
reftion :  and  if  fo,  there  will  either  be  no  Millenium,  or  it  muff 
take  place  after  the  refurreftion.  The  explanation  here  given,  muft 
remain  good,  whether  the  French  Republic  be,  or  not,  the  little 
horn.  That  the  refurreftion  fhall  take  place  at  the  end  of  the  pre- 
sent tem'poial  powers  of  the  world,  is  founded  in  the  immutability 
of  an  oath. 

ON  THE  MILLENIUM. 

A  HAVE  peiufed  with  attention,  many  pieces  which  have  been 
publifhed  on  this  fubjeft.  It  is  a  fubjeft  in  which  every  reflecting 
Chriftian  muft  feel  himfelf  deeply  interefted  at  the  prefent  time  ; 
for  the  commencement  of  the  Millenium,  though  the  prefent  genera- 
tion may  not  live  to  fee  it,  yet  the  next  may,  according  to  the  moft 
approved  expofitors.  The  learned  have  viewed  the  immediate  fub- 
jefts  of  the  Millenium,  in  very  various  and  different  lights  ;  when 
men  of  learning,  integrity  and  capacity,  with  minds  dilpofed  to  re- 
ceive the  truth,  cannot  agreee  in  lentiments  about  it,  it  is  manifeftly 
an  evidence  of  no  fmall  intricacy  in  the  fubjeft.  It  feems  ap- 
parent that  the  truth  muft  be  contained  in  fome  jone  of  the  fol- 
lowing propositions:  the  members  of  the  Millenium,  will  be  men  in 
a  ftate  of  natural  fucceflion  •  or  they  will  be  conftituted  of  thefe, 
and  the  martyrs  railed  from  the  grave,  who  are  to  be  the  officer* 
in  that  kingdom  ;  orlaftly,  the  members  of  the  Millenium  kingdom, 
will  be  all  of  them  railed  from  the  grave.  Thefe  three  propofitions 
have  evidently  very  different  degrees  of  importance  :  the  firft  is  le($ 
important  than  the  lecond,  and  the  fecond  than  the  third.  If  none 
of  them  could  be  demonftrated  to  be  true,  or  falle,  according  to  the 
'cornmen  rulcs.of  the  conduft  of  the  human  mind,  the  laft  ought 
to  be  received  as  true,  becauie  it  is  infinitely  the  moft  important. 
The  different  advocates  for  the  two  fiilt  propofitions,  ieverally 
deduce  them  from  Rev.  20.  4.  5.  6.  It  is  generally  allowed,  that 
thefe  verfes  deicribe  the  commencement  of  the  Millenium  king- 
dom. 


<  .1  ) 

It  is  neceflary  to  introduce  the  purport  of  thefe  Qhree  verfes,  for 
the  purpofe  of  forming  a  judgment  as  to  their  figurative  or  literal 
fenfe. 

Fift.  John  fees  thrones,  perfons  fitting  on  them,  to  whom  judg- 
ment is  given, 

Second.  The  fouls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witnefs  of 
Jefus,  and  for  the  word  of  God. 

Third.  Every  one  who  had  not  worfhipped  the  beaft  nor  his 
image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  on  their  foreheads,  nor  in  their 
hands  they  lived  &c. 

Thefe  are  the  fubjefts  of  which  John  fpeaks  and  the  words  are 
fufnciently  extenfive,  to  embrace  all  the  faithful  Chriftians,'  and  all 
the  faithful  Jews.  The  qualities  and  properties  attributed  to  thefe 
fubje£ts  are,  lfl  they  lived  ;  2d  they  reigned  with  Chrift  a  thoufand 
years  ;  3d  bleffed.  4th  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  firft  refurrec- 
tion  ;  5th  it  is  the  firft  refurre&ion  ;  6th  over  thefe,  or  on  fuch,  the 
fecond  death  fhall  have  no  power  ;  7th,  they  fhall  be  priefts  of  God, 
and  of  Chrift,  and  fhall  reign  with  him  a  thoufand  years.  There  are, 
evidently,  three  diftinft  clalTes  of  beings,  peculiar  and  diftinguifhing 
privileges  are  conferred  on  the  firft  clafs.  They  fit  on  thrones,  and  are 
inverted  with  judiciary  power,  excepting  thefe,  the  qualities  and  pro- 
perties are  common  to  the  three  clafles,  there  are  two  fpccial,  and 
particular  privileges,  and  feven  that  are  common. 

That  the  fpecial  privileges  of  fitting  on  thrones,  and  being  inverted 
with  judiciary  power,  will  be  the  privileges  of  the  twelve  apoftles, 
is  proved  by  the  explicite  words  of  our  Saviour  ;  that  is,  that  thefe 
privileges  will  be  conferred  on  them,  after  the  relurrection,  and  not 
before  :  he  fays  they  fhall  fit  on  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve 
tribes  of  the  children  of  Ifrael.  It  is  not  implied  in  thefe  words, 
that  there  fhall  be  no  more  than  twelve  thrones:  the  Revelations 
frequently  mention  four  and  twenty  ;  which  are  evidently  the  full 
and  compleat  number  of  thrones,  Thefe  two  privileges  belong  to  im- 
mortal, and  not  to  mortal  men.  Can  fcriptural  evidence  be  adduced  to 
fhow,  that  they  may  be  the  properties  of  mortal  men  ?  Such  evidence 
we  truft,  cannot  be  produced  from  fcripture.  The  advocates  of  a  figu- 
rative conftruttion,  allow  that  there  is  noBgire  as  to  thefe  privileges; 
but  they  fay  that  thole  who  are  inverted  with  thefe  privleges,  are 
natural  men.  Extraordinary  powers  we  prove  by  the  infallible  words 
of  infpiration  ;  Can  any  fcripture  be  produced  to  fhow  that  more 
than  ordinary  powers  belong  to  mortal  men  ?  we  conclude,  without 
fear  of  refutation,  that  thefe  two  properties  are  peculiar  to  a  refurrec- 
tion  life  ;  the  figurative  fenfe,  of  the  whole  paffage  would  ftand  on 
ftronger  ground,  if  it  could  be  demonff>ated,  that  thefe  are  not  the 
properties  of  a  refurreftion  life. 

The  fecond  clafs  is,  the  fouls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the 
witnefs  of  Jefus,  and  for  the  word  of  God.  An  oblervation  is 
made  here,  by  thole  who  conftrue  figuratively,  which  is  intended 
as  an  objection  to  the  literal  fenfe  :  it  is  this  that  the  refurreftion 
is  never  ipoken  of  elfewhere,  by  the  living  of  the  foul  ;  inanfwer  to 
this,  we  might  demand  a  proof  that  it  is  fo  fpoken  of  here  :  in  a  phi- 
loiophieal  view,  if  the  refurreftion  be  intended,  how  fhould  John 
exprefs  himfelf  ?  he  could  not  fay  that  he  faw  the   bodies  that  had 

~.~..1J J     •         .1  .->       r  r  .  '  ,  in-  •  n 


(       *       ) 

them  by  that  which  conftitutes  their  perfonal  identity  ;  whether  the 
foul  had  been  afleep  or  dead,  or  otherwise  cannot  be  deduced  from 
John's  words  ;  if  John  fees  them  after  the  reiurreftion,  he  fees  the 
foul  united  to  a  glorious  body.  Can  the  refurre&ion  life  be  predicated 
of  any  other  thing,  than  the  foul  ?  can  the  life  of  a  rational  man  lie 
predicated  of  any  other  thing  belonging  to  the  man  except  a  tational 
foul  ?  But  the  objection  takes  it  for  granted,  that  life  is  predicated 
of  the  loul  ;  be  it  io.  Had  the  foul  always  been  alive,  is  not  a  relur- 
re£bon  life  attended  with  as  many  diffeient  circum fiances,  and  more 
than  attend  the  conversion  of  a  loul  ?  But  we  fay  it  remains  to 
be  proved,  that  John  predicates  life  of  the  foul  fimply  confidered. 
The  giammatical  conftruttion  of  the  4th  verfe  has  perplexed  com- 
menrators.  John  tells  us  what  he  faw  ;  thrones,  and  thole  fitting  on 
them,  and  the  fouls  of  the  beheaded.  Tas  pfeuhaston  pepelekifmenon,  an 
accufative  following  the  verb  ;  the  queftion  is,  how  far  the  verb  J  faw 
extends  ;  does  it  extend  to  the  word,  Oitines  or  every  one  who  ?  if  fo, 
the  grammer  is  not  good  ;  or  the  words,  fouls  of  them,  muft  be 
tindei  flood,  and  be  placed  before  the  words,  every  one  who,  or  fimply, 
who  ;  but  the  fenfe  is  good,  and  the  grammar  is  good,  if  we  extend 
the  verb  I  faw,  no  farther  than  the  fouls  of  the  beheaded  ;  John  firft 
tells  us  what  he  faw,  and  the  words,  every  one  who  had  not  worfripped, 
they  lived,  is  a  d)ftin£l  af%i  tion  by  itfelf.  Now  thele  words  contain 
all  that  John  had  leen  before,  as  to  iubje£ls;  thofe  fitting  on  thrones, 
and  the  beheaded  did  not  worfhip  the  beaft.  In  this  fenfe,  they  lived, 
is  affirmed  of  every  one  who,  and  not  of  the  foul,  fo  that  in  every  view 
the  oblervation  has  no  force  in  it.  The  foul  is  a  term  often  ufed  in 
fenpture,  and  intends  the  whole  man. 

The  third  clafs,  is,  every  one  who  had  not  worjliipped  the  Beaft  nor 
his  image,  &c.  Under  thele  chara&ers,  the  Beaft,  &c.  all  wicked 
temporal  powers  are  included,  that  are  to  continue  until  Chrifl's 
fecond  advent.  By  thele  words,  who  had  not  worfiipped,  the  whole 
body  of  Chiiflians  are  included,  whether  they  died  as  Martyrs,  or 
othei wife.  I  do  not  recollect  at  prelent  any  objt&ion  to  the  literal 
fenle  of  thefe  words,  derived  from  the  words  themfelves,  nor  can 
■we  add  any  thing,  to  make  a  plain  paffage  more  plain.  The  Beaft, 
ond  the  image  of  the  Beaft,  embrace  at  leaft  1890  years.  Life 
being  predicated  of  all  thole  that  had  an  opportunity  to  worfhip 
them,  muft  be  predicated  of  many  that  had  been  dead. 

If  this  part  of  the  text  be  read  in  the  manner  I  have  fuggefled, 
the  whole  text  is  complete  in  fenle  and  in  grammar,  and  if  it  had 
been  divided  into  two  vertes,  no  queftion  would  ever  have  been 
made  about-  the  fullnels  of  the  fenle,  or  the  accuracy  of  the  gram- 
mar. It  would  read  as  follows  :  "  I  law  thrones,  and  they  fat  upon 
them,  and  judgment  was  given  unto  them  ;  and  the  fouls  of  them 
that  were  beheaded  for  the  witnels  of  JefuB,  and  for  the  word  of 
God," 

"  And  every  one  who  had  not  worfhipped  the  Beaft,  &c.  They 
lived,  and  reigned  with  Chrift  a  thouland  years." 

This  laft  paffage  contains  all  the  fubjefts  that  John  fays  he  faw  in 
the  firft  part  ;  and  a  great  multitude,  befides  thole  fcated  on  thrones, 
and  the  Martyrs.  According  to  this  divifion,  John  does  not  pre- 
dicate life  of  the   foul,  but  of  every   one  who  had  not  worfhipped, 


(     i3    ) 

have  been  numerous  ;  I  have  found  none  that  fugged  this  plain  and 
eai'y  divifion.  The  Englifh  tranflation  feems  to  forbid  all  criticifm. 
The  dangerous  error,  contained  in  the  words,  and  which  had  not, 
inftead  of  the  words,  and  every  one  zoho  had  not,  ought  to  be  urged 
with  zeal.  The  feveral  properties  that  are  afterwards  particularly 
attributed  to  thele  fubje&s,  are  not  the  properties  of  Martyrs  alone. 
The  Beaft,  and  the  image  of  the  Beaft,  occupy  a  Ipace  of  time,  not 
fhort  of  1890  years.  Every  one  who  was  not  guilty  of  idolatry, 
during  this  period,  and  furely  Martyrs  were  not,  and  many  befides 
Martyrs  were  not,  have  fundry  properties  predicated  of  them,  which 
are  the  very  properties  and  qualities  promiied  to  the  faints  in  the 
refurreftion  life. 

John  does  not  affert  that  he  law  every  one  who  had  not  wor- 
fhipped  the  Beaft;  but  that  he  faw  fome  of  them  particularly,  and 
this  affertion  of  John,  is  very  honourable  for  them.  Thele  fitting 
en  thrones,  and  the  Martyrs,  might  be  fo  few  in  number,  that 
John  might  diftincUy  fee  all  of  them  individually.  The  whole  body 
might  be  very  numerous  ;  a  great  multitude  which  no  man  could 
number,  as  John  expreffes  himfelf  in  another  place.  There  leems 
to  be  a  natural  rerfon,  why  John  might  fee  diftin&ly,  thole  who  fat 
on  thrones,  and  the  Martyrs;  but  if  the  whole  body  was  very  nu-i 
merous,  it  feems  to  be  again  ft  natural  reafon,  that  he  fhould  lee  every 
individual  ;  and  the  text  conveys  no  idea  that  he  did. 

As  to  a  multitude  of  general  and  diffufe  objections  againft  the 
literal  fenfe  of  the  paffage,  they  apply  to  every  thing,  and  confe- 
quently  to  nothing.  We  allow  that  there  are  figurative  expreffions 
made  uie  of  in  the  Revelations  ;  but  it  will  not  follow,  from  hence, 
that  all  is  figurative  ;  and  if  not,  fuch  an  objection  rnuft  fail  in  a  par- 
ticular application.  John  afierts,  that  all  who  had  lived,  in  a  Ipace 
of  not  lels  than  189,0  years,  live  again.  But  the  nature  of  the  lub- 
je£l  muft  be  well  confidered  :  true,  it  muft  indeed  ;  but  ftrange  is 
the  argument,  that  makes  a  plain  paffage,  figurative,  becaule  others  are' 
fo.  If  the  rule  be  reciprocal,  as  the  Logicians  fpeak,  then  a  figura- 
tive paffage  muft  be  plain,  becaufe  other  paffages  are  fo,  and  this 
brings  us  to  no  rule  at  all.  The  nature  of  the  fubjeft,  and  the  pro- 
perties, muft  be  confidered  by  themfelves.  We  muft  endeavour  to 
fee,  whether  the  fubjeft  be  a  proper  recipient  of  the  properties  ;  and 
whether  the  properties  can  be  predicated,  as  well  of  mortal  as  immor- 
tal fubje&s.  The  properties  being  of  a  particular  kind,  can  they  be 
the  properties  of  two  fubjefts,  effentially  different  in  their  natures. 
As  we  fully  believe  that  they  cannot,  we  anxioully  wifh  to  make  it 
appear  fo  to  others  ;  becauie  the  coniequences  are  almoft  infinitely 
different.  It  appears  to  me,  that  there  never  was  a  queftion  agitated 
of  greater  magnitude  than  this  ;  whether  the  refurre&ion  precedes 
the  happy  ftate  of  the  church  denominated  by  the  Millenium  ?  If  it 
precedes,  may  God  have  mercy,  on  fuch  as  forcibly  wreft  the  plain 
meaning  of  Icripture.  If  it  does  not,  they  who  hold  to  a  literal 
fenfe,  run  no  rifle  ;  the  Millenium  ftate,  according  to  them,  gives  a 
dilplay  of  divine  power,  infinitely  luperior  to  what  it  can  be  in  a 
figurative  fenfe.  Divine  power  is  exerted  but  one  way  according 
to  thofe  who  hold  to  figure.  In  how  many  different,  glorious,  and 
terrible   ways  muft  it  be  exhibited,  if  there   is  no  figure  ?  Is  not  the 


(      14     ) 

earth  are  to  be  matured  for  gathering,  for  to  be  trod  in  the  wine 
prefs  of  the  wrath  of  God  :  or  are  they  to  be  matured,  only  for  far- 
ther maturity  and  prefervation  ?  For  God's  fake,  for  the  fake  of  thole 
■who  lack  vifion,  let  thofe  whofe  duty  it  is,  fee  that  we  be  not  over- 
taken, and  defiroyed,  without  their  having  previoufly  forewarned  us. 
The  literal  fenfe  leads  inevitably  to  an  awful  cataflrophe.  The 
figurative,  where  does  it  lead  us,  if  not  true  ?  It  leads  to  an  error 
moft  fatal.  But  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Noah,  fo  (hall  it  be,  when  ? 
Muft  this  be  after  the  Millenium  ?  I  think  not,  but  that  it  muft  be 
before  it. 

The  firft  property  is  common  to  mortal  and  immortal  beings  ; 
f:  they  lived,"  but  when  predicated  of  thofe  that  had  been  dead,  it  is 
an  uncommon  property.  The  words,  they  lived,  are  manifefty  predica- 
ted of  fubjefts,  that  had  lived,  and  had  ceaied  : olive,  in  fome  manner 
or  other.  If  we  could  fairly  change  thefe  lubjefts,  it  is  true,  life 
jnav  be  predicated  of  mortal  man,  fo  long  as  a  live.  This  predi- 
cate may  therefore  be  applied  in  both  ienics  ;  and  fimply  confidered, 
would  not  be  an  evidence,  whether  applied  to  thofe  who  had,  or 
who  had  not  been  dead.  The  fenfe  can  only  be  derived  from  a 
knowledge  of  the   fubjeft. 

The  fecond  propetry  is,  and  reigned  with  Chrijl  a  thoufand  years. 
To  reign,  is  one  thing  ;  to  reign  with  Chrift,  another.  That  the 
faints  are  to  reign  with  Chrift,  after  the  refurreftion,  and  not  before, 
is  the  explicit  language  of  fcripture.  Reigning  with  Chrift,  implies 
a  refurreftion.  The  thoufand  years  is  a  definite  idea  of  reigning, 
not  applicable  to  the  lives  they  lived.  That  is,  it  is  no  limitation  of 
exiftence.  Though  they  may  reign  only  a  thoufand  years,  they  may 
exift  ;  they  muft  exift  forever.  They  are  not  all  leated  on  thrones  ; 
we  fee  no  reafon  for  concluding  that  they  are  ;  yet  they  all  reign 
individually.  The  pronoun  every  one  who,  is  fegregative,  and  indi- 
vidual ;  and  it  is  predicated  of  every'  individual,  that  he  fhall  reign 
■with  Chrift  a  thoufand  years.  Thus  reigning  individually  a  thou- 
fand years,  without  any  limitation  to  exiftence,  is  an  evidence  of  the 
immortality  of  the  perfon  fo  reigning.  The  fame  thing  cannot  be 
predicated  of  mortal  beings.  It  agrees  with  the  fubjeft  in  the  literal, 
but  not  in  the  figurative  fenfe  ;  if  the  fenfe  was  figurative,  it  would 
.  be  fatisfied  with  a  fucceffion  of  mortal  beings,  for  a  thoufand  years, 
the  individuals  living  no  more  than  fixty  or  leventy  years.  The  two 
next  properties  are  bleffednefs  and  holinefs.  Bleffed  and  holy  is  he, 
every  individual  is  made  a  partaker  of  thefe  properties.  Mortal  be- 
ings are  not  partakers  of  bleffednefs  and  holinefs  in  an  abfolute 
fenfe.  Flefh  and  blood  cannot  be  bleffed  and  holy.  Paul  is  always 
filled  with  grief  and  fonow,  when  he  contemplates  his  mortal  ftate. 
The  reafon  of  being  bleffed  and  holy,  is,  for  over  thefe  the  fecond 
death  fhall  have  no  power.  They  are  in  poffeffion  of  a  bleffed  and 
holy  immortality.  This  is  a  poffeffion,  which  muft  give  a  zeft  to  every 
joy  ;  without  this,  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  alloy.  Our  Saviour 
fpeaking  of  the  righteous  in  the  refurreftion,  lays,  they  can  die  no 
more.  Thefe  properties  therefore,  I  apprehend,  can  only  be  predi,. 
Cated  of  immortal  beings.  Bleffed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in 
the  firft  refurreftion.  If  the  refurreftion  is  to  be  taken  figuratively, 
*nd  intends  no  more,  than  a  levival  «f  religion  on  earth.    This  blel- 


(     '5    ) 

from  Chrift,  to  the  Millenium ;  and  the  words,  bleffcd  and  holy,  mnft 
be  taken  in  a  partial  and  limited,  not  in  an  abfol  ate  fenfe.  Paul'* 
bleffednefs  and  holinefs  on  earth,  he  always  reprefents,  as  inconceiv- 
ably  fhort  of  what  they  would  be  when  he  fhould  be  with  Chrift. 

The  fifth  is  rather  a  chcumftance  than  a  property  »  it  is  the  firft 
refui region  :  an  objeftion  is  raifed  here  againft  the  literal  fenfe,  be- 
cauie  tiie  epithet,  Jirjt  is  no  where  elfe  applied  in  this  manner.  If 
this  was  really  a  fact,  it  would  be  no  objection.  The  prophetic 
affertions  of  a  fingle  prophet,  have  always  been  received  as  valid* 
If  it  is  no  where  elfe  thus  applied,  yet  that  there  mull  be  a  firft  re- 
furre&ion,  is  evident  from  the  plain  import  of  other  paffages  of 
fcripture. 

The  promifes,  that  the  meek  fhall  inherit  the  earth  maybe  confi- 
deredas  evidential  of  a  firft  refurre£t:on.  Ps.  37.  For  evil  doers  (hall 
be  cut  off,  but  thole  that  wait  upon  the  Lord,  they  fhall  inherit  the 
earth.  The  meek  fhall  inherit  the  earth,  and  fhall  delight  thernfelves 
in  abundance  of  peac;\  Such  as  be  bleffcd  of  him,  fhall  inherit  the 
earth.  The  righteous  fhall  inherit  the  land  and  dwell  in  it  forever. 
Acls^.  5.  Of  Abraham  it  is  laid,  he  gave  him  none  inheritance  in 
it,  no  not  to  fet  his  foot  on,  yet  hepromifed  that  he  would  give  it  to 
him  for  a  poffeffion.  Matt.  5.  5.  Bleffed  are  the  meek,  for  they  fhall 
inherit  the  earth.  Paul  fpeaks  of  the  firft  reiurreftion  to  a  happy 
immortality.  Phil.  3.  11.  If  by  any  means  I  might  attain  unto  the 
refurreftion  of  the  dead. 

The  priviledges  of  the  firft  born  were  1.  A  double  portion, 
Duet.  21.  17.  2.  A  right  to  the  priefthood,  Num.  3.  13.  3.  The 
government  and  dominion.    Gen.  27.  29. 

1  Thef.  4.  16.  The  dead  in  Chrift  fhall  rife  firft.  Heb.  12.  23. 
To  the  general  aftembly  and  church  of  the  firft  born.  Ja.  1.  18. 
Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with  the  word  of  his  truth,  thit  we 
fhould  be  a  kind  of  firft  fruits  of  his  creatures.  Rev.  14.  4.  Thefe 
were  redeemed  from  among  men,  being  the  firft  fruits  unto  God 
and  the  Lamb. 

Firft  born,  and  firft  fruits,  are  fo  denominated,  becaufe  there  are 
more  born,  and  more  fruits.  And  theie  phrafes  are  fully  equivalent, 
to  the  firft  relurrecfion.  The  objection  feems  to  have  been  made 
without  having  paid  due  attention  to  other  paffages  of  fcripture.  If 
the  paffage,  Rom.  8.  23.  has  reference  to  all  the  true  Chriftians  un- 
der the  prefent  difpeniation,  the  term,  firft,  is  there  expreffive  of 
farther,  or  more  fruits,  and  not  only  they  but  ourielves  alio  which 
have  the  firft  fruits  of  the  fpirit,  even  we  ourfelves  groan  within  our- 
felves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our  body. 
The  idea  of  a  firft  refurre£lion,  m*kes  this  whole  paffage  plain  and 
mtel legible  ;  otherwife  it  appears  to  me  incomprehenfiblc.  Reiur- 
reftion  in  a  general  fenfe,  may  intend  the  calling  forth  of  good  and 
bad  from  the  grave  ;  but  the  terms,  the  firft  relurreftion,  are  confined 
to  an  immortal  happy  exiftence.  The  hope  of  the  creation  is  poftpo- 
ned  to  the  time  of  the  redemption  of  the  body  of  thole  who  have  tho 
firft  fruits  of  the  fpirit.  If  there  be  not  a  firft  refurre£tion,  it  is  im- 
poffible  that  this  hope  fhould  evei4  be  realized.  Paul  has  therefore  as 
clearly  foretold  a  firft  refurreftion  as  John,  he  has  not  exprefsly  called 
it  a  firft  refurreftion,  but  he  has  laid  down  fuch  principles  as  will 
i,.ft;f.,  .,<>  ;„  «.u;..  :«•  ,   en  ..r..._/a.: —       \\r\ „-.»  »~  k^    *u  r..u_ 


(     i6 


jects  of  hope  in  the  Millenium  kingdom  ?  The  dead  who  are  to  be 
reftored  to  life.  This  idea  fo  far  from  militating  againft  the  doc- 
trine of  free  and  fovereign  grace,  eftabl.fhes  it,  and  opens  a  door  for 
the  difplay  of  it,  without  reforting  to  univerfalifm,  much  broader 
than  any  we  can  poftibly  find  upon   a  figurative  conftruction. 

The  6th  property  is,  that  over  fuch  the  lecond  death  fhall  have  no 
power.  The  fecond  is  only  applicable  to  thofe  who  have  once  died. 
The  mentioning  of  this  circum fiance,  is  an  evidence  that  the  lubjecls 
were  in  a  (late,  where  a  fecond  death  is  applicable,  that  is  beyond 
the  grave,  where  many  will  experience  a  (econd  death.  It  carries 
this  idea  with  it,  that  there  is  a  power  in  the  fecond  death,  which  * 
will  be  an  occafion  of  infinite  mifery  to  the  finner  ;  but  it  will  not  af- 
fect the  righteous,  even  if  they  fhould  be  encompafled  with  that  power. 
To  illu (Irate  my  idea,  I  refer  to  the  three,  that  were  caft  into  the 
fiery  furnace,  who,  though  encompaffed  with  the  flames,  expeiienced 
no  inconvenience  in  that  fituation.  Thofe  that  adhere  to  a  figura- 
tive conftiuction  and  fuppole  that  the  firft  relurrection  means  no 
more  than  an  effectual  and  genuine  revival  of  true  religion,  are  of 
opinion,  that  this  will  be  univerlal  over  all  the  world  ;  but  that  to- 
wards the  clofe  of  the  period,  there  will  be  a  very  great  apoflacy,  in 
confequence  of  which  the  lecond  death  will  be  inflicted  on  millions. 
This  abfurdity,  is  left  without  explanation  ;  That  bieffed  and  holy 
beings,  on  whom  the  lecond  death  has  no  power,  fhould  apoftatize, 
and  become  miferabie  and  unhloy  beings,  and  be  actually  fubject  to 
the  lecond  death,  is  an  incontrovertable  contradiction,  which  is 
necefTarily  attached  to  the  fyftem. 

The  feventh  property  is,  They  jh all  be  Priefls  of  God  and  of  Chrijt. 
Priefls  are  holy  officers,  dedicated  to  holy  things.  They  are  rela- 
tive officers.  They  have  a  fuperior,  and  an  inferior  lelation.  They 
are  related  to  God  and  Chrifl ;  and  to  others,  who  (land  in  need  of 
their  miniflerial  offices.  II  the  figurative  conftruction  prevails,  fuch 
officers  as  thefe,  cannot  be  in  the  Millenium.  There  can  be  no  in- 
ferior relation,  and  the  inferior  relation  is  the  effence  of  the  mini- 
flerial office.  If  every  individual  in  the  Millenium,  is  to  be  a  King 
and  a  Pried,  there  can  be  neither  fubject  nor  hearer.  What  is  a 
King  without  lubjecls?  and  what  is  a  nrieft  without  hearers?  A 
figurative  conftruction  of  the  lubjects,  of  whom  thele  predicates  are 
made,-  changes  the  nature  of  the  properties,  and  renders  them  truly 
inconceivable. 

And  jhall  reign  tilth  him  a  thou f and  years  ;  they  are  all  to  be  kings, 
and  all  to  be  prieits,  Rev.  1.  6.  and  hath  made  us  kings,  and  pneils 
unto  God,  and  his  father,  5.  10.  and  hath  made  us  unto  our  God, 
kings  and  priefls,  and  we  fhall  retgn  on  the  earth  ;  1  P.  2.  5.  9.  ye 
alio  as 'lively  (tones,  are  built  up  a  fpiritual  houle,  an  holy  priefthood  : 
but  ye  are  a  chofen  generation,  a  royal  priefthood,  an  holy  nation, 
a  peculiar  people.  In  thefe.  pafiages  there  is  no  figure;  they  hav© 
relation  to  the  Millenium  kingdom,  dilignating  its  officers,  but  not 
the  fubjects,  Peter  and  John  have  both  of  them  refererence  to  Chrif- 
tians  who  lived  between  Chrift's  firft  coming  and  the  Millenium. 
Thele  are  to  be  kings  and  prieft,  and  they  are  to  reign  on  the  earth,  not 
by  proxy  but  perlonally  ;,  if  we  fuffer  with  him  we  fhall  reign  with 
him  ;  if    thefe  (even  properties  connot  be  univerlally  predicated  of 

a    mrw-ral    m-jn       thA   fnV»i*»£Vc  nf     tl-i/»m    i-niiO-   h*»    immnrtal  If   fs   nnt  lire. 


(     «7     ) 

tended  by  thole  who  hold  to  a  figurativfpconftruction,  that  their 
happy  mortals,  in  the  Millenium,  will  be  more  genuine  and  firm 
chriftians,  than,  w^re  the  apoftles  and  martyrs.  Can  we  predicate 
of  the  apoftles  and  martyrs,  while  on  earth,  all  the  properties  here 
predicated  of  thole  happy  lubjetf.;  ?  If  we  cannot,  it  ic.  evident  we 
cannot  of  anv  other  mortal  men.  Thefe  {even  properties  could  not 
b^  predicated  of  Paul  himfelf  whilft  here  on  earth  ;  nor  can  they  be 
predicated  of  the  chriftians  jointly,  or  individually.  Did  Paul  reign 
with  Chrift  at  all  on  earth,  much  more,  a  thoufand  years  ?  But  thefe 
are  to  reign  individually,  a  thoufand  years.  Was  St.  Paul  bleffed  ? 
no.  Was  he  holy  ?  no.  Was  he  a  royal  pricft  ?  no.  It  is,  appa- 
rent, that  there  can  be  no  genuine  refemblance,  between  the  church 
contended  for  by  thofe  who  adopt  a  figurative  fenfe.  and  the  npoftolic 
church.  Thefe  properties conftitute  an effential  tiifterence.  Thrones, 
judiciary  power,  reigning  with  Chrift,  bleffednels  and  holinefs.  The 
defcriptions  are  neitiier  too  high,  nor  too  low,  when  applied  to  a 
refurre&on  life  ;  but  at  prelent  it  appears  to  me,  that  they  are  much 
too  high,  if  we  apply  them  to  mortal  men. 

All  the  arguments  that  I  have  feen  in  favor  of  a  figurative  meaning, 
are  fo  diffufe,  and  general,  that  I  have  found  it  extremely  difficult  to 
make  a  purticular  application  of  them. 

It  is  laid  by  thofe  who  fupport  a  figurative  fenfe,  that  "  this  def- 
cription  of  the  thrones,  and  of  them  that  fat  on  them,  is  not  to  be 
underftood,  as  if  all  who  are  afterwards  laid  to  live,  and  reign  with 
Chrift  a  thoufand  years,  were  to  fit  on  thefe  thrones  ;  the  figurative 
defcription  feems  to  intimate  order  and  government  in  the  kingdom." 

Thev  who  fupport  the  literal  fenfe,  fay,  the  thrones  are,  as  well 
as  the  perfons  fitting  on  them,  realities  ;  they  do  dot  lay,  that  all 
fit  on  thrones  ;  but  that  all  reign  ;  though  they^lit  not  on  thrones, 
they  are  in  and  round  about  the  throne.  They  lay,  there  will  be, 
not  a  figurative,  but  real  order  and  government,  and  that  the  paffage 
represents,  exclufively,  the  officers  of  the  government.  In  the 
fig'ira^ivc  fenfe,  there  are  none  but  officers,  there  are  no  fubje&s. 

"  They  who  underftand  this  dilcription  in  a  figurative  lenle,.ob- 
ferve,  that  all  thele  expreffions  will  very  well  bear  fuch  an  interpre- 
tation. That  it  will  be  more  agreeable  to  the  ftile  of  prophecy,  in 
particular  to  the  ftde  of  this  book,  which  every  where  abounds  in 
figurative  defcriptions.  That  all  thefe  expreffions  are  ufed  in  the 
aniient  prophets,  in  a  figurative  meaning,  and  that  there  are  unanf- 
werable  difficulties  attending  a  literal  interpretation  of  them." 

Let  any  man  refleft,  and  then  lay  his  hand  upon  his  heart,  and  fay, 
that  the  prophet  has  not  truly  described  this  manner  of  reafoning, 
and  fo  thiy  wrapt  it  up,  I  will  not  comment  here,  they  are  all 
univerlals,  and  have   no  particular  application. 

The  properties  muft  be  minutely  considered,  fo  as  to  fee.  if  the 
fubjscT:  be  a  proper  recipient  of  them  ;  every  one  who,  and/  bUjfcd  and 
holy  is  he  who,  are  indicative  of  individuals.  And  a  thoufand  years 
reign,  not  term  of  exiftence,  is  predicated  of  each  of  them.  It  im- 
plies at  leaft  a  thoufand  years  exiftence,  it  doss  not  imply  the  whole 
of  exiftence.  Cm  this  be  the  oroperty  of  a  mortal  ?  Revelation  is 
filent  ;  and  natural  realba  has  no  probable  proofs  to  exhibit  in  it?, 
favor. 


(     i8     ) 

"  All  thefe  expreffions  may  very  well  be  undei  flood  in  a  figurative 
fenle.  The  fouls  of  them,  &c.  may  eafily  according  to  the  manner 
of  prophetic  language,  fignify  perfons  of  like  fpirit  and  temper  with 
them,  of  like  faith,  patience,  conflancy  and  zeal.  John  the  baptift 
was  Elias  becaufe  he  came  in  the  (pirit  of  Elias.  Thus,  a  (late  of  the 
church,  in  which  a  fpirit  of  the  anticnt  martyrs  and  confeflbrs,  and 
the  purity  of  thoie  times  fhall  return,  may  be  deicribed  as  a  church 
of  martyrs,  a  church  Id  nearly  reiembiing  them  in  temper,  constancy 
and  zeal." 

All  the  (xprejjions  cannot  he  undcrftood  in  a  figurative  fenfe  ;  and 
they  do  not  fo  undeifhnd  them.  The  fubje&sof  the  predicates,  they 
will  have  to  be  figurative,  but  not  the  predicates.  The  lubjects,  in 
their  fenfe  are  only  probationers  fur  immortal  life;  in  our  fenfe,  they 
have  had  their  probation,  and  aie  in  poffeffion  of  immortal  life, 
y  The  fouls  o^  them  that  were  beheaded,  may  eafily  fignify  perfons 
of  like  fpiiit."  How,  eafily  ?  Is  it  an  ea(y  matter  to  fuppofe  that 
John  did. not  fee  t«ch  as  had  been  beheaded,  when  he  favs  he  did  ? 
This  is  fo  far  from  being  ealy  to  me,  that  I  find  it  inconceivable  ; 
not  one  of  the  terms  employed  about  the  fubjefts  has  any  appearance 
of  a  figure.  The  fouls  of  the  perfons  beheaded,  refer  us  directly  to  the 
martyrs.  Every  one  who  had  not  zuorjliippcd,  has  no  miftjc  fenfe  ; 
living,  reigning^  bUjfedneJs,  holinefs,  priejls  of  God  and  of  Chrijl,  ar*  not 
mi  (lie  descriptions.  It  is  here,  that  the  figurative  fenfe  cseates  the 
mi  fiery  ;  there  is  none  in  the  words  themielves.  It  feems  utterly 
impofliblc  for  us  to  know  whether  one  man  is  like  another  in  fpiiit, 
conflancy  and  zsal,  if  they  are  not  both  placed  in  the  lame  trying 
fituation.  It  mull  be  granted,  that  thole  in  the  Millenium,  will  not 
meet  with  the  lame  trials  and  lempations,  as  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of 
theapoftlcs  and  other  chriltians. 

As  to  John's  being  called  Elias  in  the  old  teftament,  it  has  not  even 
the  iemblance  of  an  argument,  I  may  appeal  to  thofe  who  adduce 
it,  to  fhow  hu>w  it  applies. 

A  church  may  be  Ueiciibcd  as  a  church  of  martrys,  in  which,  there 
fhall  be  a  return  of  their  fpirit  and  purity.  If  any  where  there  muff, 
be  tbrne  good  found  (enfe  in  this  oblervation  ;  but  I  readily  confefs 
I  do  not  fee  it.  So  far  are  the  predicates  from  intimating  any  thing 
like  a  church  of  martyrs,  that  they  exprefsly  warrant  the  idea,  that 
the  fubjefts  were  idme  of  them  martyrs,  not  all  and  that  they  are 
now  beyond  mortality.  Several  things  are  predicated  of  the  iub- 
jefts.  I  requeft  to  be  fhewn  which  of  them  intimates  that  thefe  fub- 
je£f.s  have  like  fpirit  and  zeal  as  the  martyrs. 

It  is  a  very  ealy  and  natural  figure,  as  well  as  very  common  one,  In 
the  book  of  prophecy,  to  delcribe  perfons  by  the  names  of  iuch, 
whole  tempers  and  characters  they  imitate.  Thus  the  names  of 
Sodom,  Egypt,  and  Babylon,  arc  often afcribed  to  Rome."  Whether 
thefe  names  are  rightly  applied,  is  a  qucftion  yet  to  be  decided  ;  but 
if  rightly  applied,  it  wouid  not  be  an  argument  againft  a  literal  mean- 
ing. .If  Egypt,  Sodomand  Babylon,  reprelent  Rome,  it  is  confefled, 
that  Rome  is  designated  by  them,  becaule  fire  is  equal  to  them  in 
wickednefs  ;  but  if  the  (ouls  of  them  that  were  beheaded,  and  th« 
predicates  of  them,  intend  mortal  beings,  then  thele  mortal  beings, 
and  the  martyrs,   are  in    very   different  circumltanceSj  and  connot 


C     '9     ) 

refemble  each  other  in  trials,  patience  and  zeal.  Thofe  mortal  be- 
ings, tefcmble  the  martyis  no  more  than  they  do  the  angels.  The 
fpi;  ih-abfi.Vacv.ed  from  circumftances,  is  a  veiy  general  trait,  and  may 
be  carried  up  to  the  Deity  himfelf,  lo  far  as  purity  of  fpirit  is  the 
iubjeft  of  enquiry. 

"  The  other  expreffions  of  refurreftion,  of  living  and  reigning, 
were  ufed  before  in  axitient  prophecy,  to  fignify  the  reftoration  of 
the  church,  from  a  low  and  affliftei  ftate.  Thus  the  prophet  Holea, 
exhorting  to  return  unto  the  Lord,  for  he  hath  tern,  and  he  will  heal ; 
he  hath  fmitten  and  he  will  bind  us  up  ;  he  adds,  after  two  days  will 
he  revive  us,  or  make  us  live  again.  0n  the  third  day  will  he  raifc 
us  up,  as  from  the  dead,  and  we  fhall  live  in  his  fight."  Whether 
this  paffage  relates  to  Chrift,  or  to  fome  more  diftant  event,  is  not 
yet  fettled.  It  remains  yet  to  be  fhown,  what  is  meant,  by  revive, 
or  make  us  live  again.  If  it  could  be  fhown,  that  the  prophecy  had 
its  completion  in  the  Jews  then  in  being  ;  it  would  fhow,  that  the 
words  revive,  or  make  us  live  again,  did  not  intend  a  relurreciion  lit- 
erally of  the  dead.  We  grant,  that,  to  live  again,  and  rejurreEiion,  do 
not  always  intend  a  refurrcftion  of  the  dead  ;  but  they  do  fometimes 
intend  this  precifely,  and  in  this  fenfe,  we  take  the  words.  "  This 
is  the  fir  ft  refurreftion."  And  it  never  will  be  fhown,  that  it  is  not 
the  true  lenle,  by  fhowing,  that  the  word  has  differe-at-meanings. 
When  it  is  laid,  bleffed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  firft 
reiurre&ion,  there  can  be  no  doubt  in  what  fenfe  the  term  rejurreEiion 
is  ufed  ;  it  intends  the  regeneration  which  our  Saviour  (peaks  of 
Mat.  15.  28.  And  Jefus  faid  unto  them,  verily  I  lay  unto  you,  that 
ye  which  have  followed  me  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son  of 
man  (hall  fit  in  the  throne  of  his  glory,  ye  alio  fhall  fit  upon  twelve 
thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  the  children  of  I  (Vac I. 

"  When  the  two  witneffes  were  flain,  and  their  dead  bodies  lay  in 
the  ftreet  of  the  great  city,  the  fpirit  of  life  from  God,  entered  into 
them,  and  they  flood  on  their  feet,  or  they  are  reprcientcd  under  the 
figure  of  being  railed  from  the  dead." — I  am  perluadcd  there  is  no 
figure  here  ;  who  the  witneiTes  are,  is  a  queftion  about  which  the  learnr 
ed  are  very  much  divided.  The  text  however  muft  be  laid  afide,  until 
it  is  fairly  fettled,  who  the  witneffes  are  ;  I  take  them  to  be  a  col- 
lective number  of  Chriftians,  who  have  died  literally,  and  who  will 
rile  literally. 

"  It  is  moreover  obfervable,  that,  as  all  thefe  expreffions  may  be 
underftood  in  a  figurative  fenfe,  agreeably  to  the  language  of  prophecy, 
fo  it  is  more  agreeable  to  underftand  them  fo  in  a  book  of  Revelations, 
delivered  throughout  in  fuch  a  flile  ;  every  part  of  the  prophecy  is 
fo  to  be  underftood,  the  book,  the  (eals,  the  trumpets,  the  beafts,  the 
witneffes,  the  dragon,  and  old  lerpent  ;  and  why  not  the  relurrec- 
tion of  the   Martyrs  and   Confelfors." — 

"  It  is  farther  to  be  oblerved,  how  fully  the  difciiption  of  the 
converfion  of  the  Jews,  anfwers  to  the  Millenium  of  John  ;  who 
ufeth  the  very  words  by  which  their  Prophets  had  foretold  their 
converfion  :  "  now  as  this  happy  ftate  of  the  church  may  well  be 
underftood  of  the  fulleft  accompli fhments  of  phophecies,  which  fpeak 
of  the  converfion  of  the  Jews,  and  receiving  them  again  into  the 
Church,  which  St,  Paul  calls  life  from  the  dead,  this  interpretation  will 


(       2°       ) 

be  the  moll;  eafy  and  proper,  as  moft  agreeable  to  the  fenfe  in  which 
they  are  ufed  in  the  antient  prophecies  upon  the  like  oceafions,  a 
literal  and  proper  refurrecbion  of  the  martyrs  and  confeffors.  who 
fuffcred  in  the  heathen  Roman  empire,  is  attended  with  many  dif- 
ficulties ;  fo  great  as  lo  render  that  interpretation  very  doubtful  and 
improbable  :  a  proper  and  literal  reiurreftion  is  never  in  the  whole 
of  the  new  teftament  exprfcffed  or  reprefented,  by  the  living  of  the 
jouU  but  by  the  living,  raifing,  and  refurre&ion  of  the  dead,  the 
r.nfmg  of  the  bodies  of  the  faints,  of  them  that  fleep  in  the  duff. 
This  doftrine  feems  not  confident  with  the  happy  (late  of  fouls 
departed,  or  with  the  high  prerogative  fuppofed  to  belong  to  the 
fouls  of  the  martyrs.  This  doftvine  does  not  agree  with  the  accurate 
delcnpticn  of  the  reiurreftion  in  the  holy  fcriptures  ;  for  in  all  thole 
fcriptures  there  is  no  mention  of  a  fir  ft,  and  a  fecond  refurre&ion, 
or  that  one  of  them  is  to  be  one  thoufand  years  after  the  other. 
They  reprefent  the  refuneftion  to  be  performed  in  a  moment,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye  :  they  reprefent  at  that  time,  that  the  dead 
in  Chrift  {hall  rife  firiV:  but  then  alio  we  which  are  alive,  and  re- 
main, fl j all  be  caught,  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  and  fo 
we  fhall  be  ever  with  the  Lord.  The  fcriptures  fpeak  conftantly 
of  the  relurre&ion  of  alb  the  faints  as  of  a  refurrt&ion,  not  to  a 
temporal  life  on  earth,  but  to  an  eternal  life  in  heaven.  Nor  does 
the  do£lrine  agree  with  the  genius  of  Chriftian  faith,  or  with  the 
nature  of  Chriftian  hope  ;  or  with  the  freedom  and  temper  of  fpirit 
it  requires  from  the  profeffors  of  Chriflianity,  who  are  taught,  not 
to  let  their  affections  on  things  on  the  earth,  but  on  things  above, 
where  Chrift  fetteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

The  prophecy  feems  to  fuppole  fuch  inhabitants  of  the  earth  dur- 
ing the  Millenium,  as  were  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  when  the 
Bead  was  deftroyed  ;  or  men  in  the  ufual  ftate  of  natural  fucceflion, 
not  peifons  raiied  out  of  their  graves.  Here  is  no  intimation  that 
all  good  and  faithful  Chriftians  ate  to  be  flain  at  this  time,  together 
with  the  Beaft  and  his  followers,  to  make  room  for  Martyrs,  and 
perlons  who  died  fome  hundred  of  years  before,  to  inhabit  the  earth 
in  their  room.  Bcfides  they  are  reprefentedj^n  this  ftate  of  Mille- 
nium, as  liable  to  be  milled  by  the  deceitful  arts  of  Satan,  and  the 
terrors  of  periecution  ;  for  which  reafon,  the  fafety  and  fecurity  of 
the  Church  in  this  period,  is  reprefented,  by  laying  a  reftraint  on 
$atan,  that  he  fhould  not  deceive  the  nations,  till  the  end  of  a  thou- 
sand years.  The  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  then  fuppofed  in  the 
prophecy  capable  of  being  deceived,  and  in  danger  of  it.  The 
order  of  the  prophecy  feems  to  confirm  this  obfervation  ;.  for  when 
the  thoufand  years  are  expired,  Satan  muft  after  that  be  looied  for 
a  little  feafon,  and  he  fhall  make  fo  bad  ui'e  of  that  little  time,  as  to 
deceive  many,  fo  far  to  deceive  them,  as  to  gather  a  very  great  num- 
ber of  them  together,  to  attack  the  faints  and  the  beloved  city. 
Muft  the  new  enemies  of  Chrift  and  his  religion,  be  fome  of  the 
old  perlecutors  railed  from  the  dead  :  or  fome  of  the  Martyrs,  after 
their  refurreclion,  feduced  by  Satan  into  his  party  ?  or  muft  they  be, 
as  the  prophecy  feems  plainly  enough  to  fuppole,  fuch  a  iucceffion 
pf  men  as  now  inhabit  the  earth  ?  The  prophecy  places  the  general 
jefurie&ion  after  the  Expiration  of  the  one  thoufand  years* 


(    a;    ) 

It  fhould  feem  then,  that  a  literal  and  proper  refurrf&ion  of  Mar- 
tyrs, to  live  on  the  earth  one  thoufand  years  before  the  general  relur- 
rection  and  judgment,  is  not  a  neceffary  fenfe  of  this  prophecy,  nor 
fo  natural  and  probable  a  fenfe  as  the  figurative.  The  literal  fenfe  is 
liable  to  many  difficulties,  and  hardly  reeoncileable  o  other  deicrip- 
tions  of  the  lame  prophecy,  and  to  other  paffages  cd  fcripture.  But 
the  figurative  interpretation,  viz.  that  this  prophecy  fhould  mean  aft 
happy  (late  of  the  Church  on  eaith,  will  auluci  the  whole  delign 
of  the  propheev,  and  appears  the  moreicaly  and  probable  meaning 
of  the  words.  The  Church  in  peace,  free  from  periecution,  and 
all  the  deceitful  arts  of  Satan  and  wicked  men,  enlarged  with  the 
converfion  Of  the  Jews,  and  fulr.els  of  the  Gentiles,  ierving  God 
as  a  kingdom  of  PneftSj  in  purity  of  Chriftian  worfhip,  and  enjoy- 
ing all  the  bleffings  of  protection  and  divine  grace,  may  well  be  ex- 
preffed  by  living  and  reigning  with  Ghrift." 

Thele  are  fome  of  the  ableft  arguments  in  favour  of  a  figurative 
eonftruftion.  It  is  difficult  to  find  out  exactly  to  what  opinion  tbele 
arguments  are  oppofed.  They  are  gcneialiy  oppoied  to  a  literal  con- 
ftruction  :  but  it  leems  to  be  neceffary  to  know  what  weie  the  opin- 
ions of  thole  who  conftrued  literally;  for  their  opinions  might  be 
erroneous.  It  ieems  that  the  foregoing  arguments  aim  at  invalidat- 
ing this  idea,  that  the  Martyts  and  Confelfors  only  would  rife  and 
reign  a  thoufand  years.  This  opinion  being  entirely  erroneous,  we 
need  not  refort  to  a  figurative  ienfe  to  confute  it.  If  this  be  the 
particular  idea  which  is  endeavourVd  to  be  deftroyed,  I  am  perfectly 
iatisfied  with  it  :  but  the  manner  of  getting  rid  of  it,  may  be  erro- 
neous ;  and  tend  to  enforce  ideas,  much  more  dangerous,  than  thele 
defigned  to  be  confuted. 

If  the  three  verfes  on  which  we  arc  remarking,  have  reference 
only  to  the  officers  of  the  Millenium  kingdom  to  beings  immortal, 
we  mufl  neceffarily  fuppofe  that  there  will  be  other  perloras  befides 
thefe,  and  in  a  probationary  ftate  ;  and  this  will  not  militate  againft 
the  converfion  of  the  Jews,  nor  againft  the  fulleft  accomplifhrnent 
of  the  prophecies,  which  Ipeak  of  their  converfion  :  a  literal  lenfe 
©pens  a  door  for  converfion,  but  a  figurative  fenfe  fhuts  every  door 
againft  it  :  for  all  are  immediately  upon  their  introduction  into  this 
kingdom,  bleffed  and  holy  ;  and  ever  fuch  the  lecond  death  has  no 
power.  But  we  find  a  very  great  army  deftroyed  by  fire  from 
heaven,  and  they  who  hold  to  a  figurative  fenle,  are  neceflitated  to 
allow  it  ;  that  thele  were  feduced  fiom  the  number  of  thole,  of 
whom  it  is  laid,  the  fecond  death  has  mo  power  over  them.  It  is 
laid,  that  thofe  contained  in  the  three  verfes  are  capable  of  being 
deceived  ;  and  this  is  a  very  evident  roi flake,  it  is  impofftble  that  he 
who  is  holy  and  bleffed  and  over  whom  the  lecond  death  has  no 
power,  fhould  be  obnoxious  to  deception  :  many  of  the  observations 
in  favour  of  a  figurative  fenic,  have  no  perceivable  connection  *vith 
the  matter.  What  are  the  difficulties  accompanying  a  literal  fenfe  ? 
how  does  it  militate  againft  any  description  of  the  rehurcction,  or 
againft  the  genius  of  Chriftian  faith  or  hope?  we  are  commanded  to 
to  let  our  affection  on  things  in  heaven,  and  not  on  the  earth,  but 
what  is  heaven  ?  may  there  not  be  a  heaven  upon  earth  ?  If  wc 
are  allowed  to  make  ulc  of  our  realoning  faculties  about  revelation, 


(   a   ) 

»s  we\  do  about  other  fciences  ;  then  we  mufl  hold,  that  the  figurative 
fenfe  is  chargeable  with  the  mofl  palpable  abfurdity  ;  it  holds,  that 
beings  incapable  of  deception  are  capable  of  it  ;  that  thole  over 
whom  the  kcond  death  has  no  power,  are  deftroyed  by  fire  from, 
heaven.  The  figurative  conftructors  hold  that  the  three  verfes  include 
all  the  fubje&s  of  the  Millenium  kingdom  :  and  fo  holding,  they  are 
chargeable  wilh  abfurdity  and  contradiction,  for  tlie  qualities  cannot 
belong  to  mortal  probationary  beings  ;  or  if  they  do,  thele  beings 
cannot  be  deceived,  nor  be  deftroyed  by  fire. 

As  to  the  general  refune&ion's  being  after  the  thoufand  years; 
we  only  obferve  it  is  in  point  of  order,  it  is  no  evidence  that  it  will 
be  fo  in  point  of  lime.  The  argument  here  Egainfl  a  literal  fenfe  is 
this,  if  the  general  refuireclion  actually  takes  place  after  the  thoufand 
years,  as  it  is  evident,  that  good  and  bad  will  all  be  railed  at  the 
lame  time,  then  ali  that  is  faid  in  the  three  verfes,  as  to  the  immedi- 
ate fupj'e£b,  muft  be  figurative  :  this  argument  if  well  founded,  un- 
doubtedly deflroys  the  literal  fenfe,  but  what  has  been  obfeived 
already,  fhows  that  it  cannot  be  ;  we  may  argue  with  as  much  certainty, 
from  the  mr.nifeft  fenfe  of  thofe  thiee  verles,  about  the  time  of  the 
generel  refurreftion,  and  indeed  with  much  more  certainty,  than 
from  the  mere  pofition,  or  order  of  one  text,  to  the  fenfe  of  another 
text  :  if  it  can  be  proved,  that  the  general  refurrccYion  will  be  after 
the  thoufand  years,  I  may  not  conclude  from  thence,  that  thofe 
three  verles  are  to  be  taken  figuratively,  for  this  is  a  more  natural 
canfequence,   I  do  not  comprehend  the  lenfe  of  them. 

The  paff.ige  has  fuggefted  different  ideas  to  different  expofitori; 
two  methods  of  conftruftion  have  been  generally  adopted  by  them  : 
how  nearly  the  opinions  have  been  divided,  as  to  the  two  fchemes, 
I  cannot  tell, 

Firft,  that  there  will  be  3  literal  refurre£tion  of  martyrs  only,  a 
thouland  years  before  the  general  iefurrec~tion  ;  and  the  dire£t  mean- 
ing of  the  avoids,  the  fouls  of  thc-m  &c.  is  infilled  on. 

Second,  that  no  literal  relune&ion  is  to  be  gathered  from  the 
expreffions,  nothing  farther  is  intended,  than  a  great  revival  of  reli- 
gion on  earth. 

Third,  That  the  literal  meaning  of  the  expreffions  is  to  be  ad- 
hered to,  fiom  which  it  refults,  that  the  fubjeftsin  thofe  three  verfes, 
are  all  the  faithful  raifed  from  the  dead,  and  are  conftituted  officers 
in  the  Millenium  kingdom  :  and  hence  it  may  be  inferred,  that  the 
refurrection  will  be  general, 

The  firft  fcheme  cannot  be  right,  becaufe  the  text  has  not  reference 
to  martyrs  only  ;  more  fuitable  and  comprehensive  words  could  not. 
have  been  cholen,  to  point  out  all  the  faithful  ;  life,  reigning,  blef- 
fednefs,  holinefs,  not  fubjeft  to  the  fecond  death,  priefts  of  God, 
and  of  Chrift,  are  predicated  of  the  fouls  of  the  beheaded,  and  of 
every  one  who  did  not  worfhip  the  beaft,  &c.  Thele  amount  to  a 
complete  univci  ialiiy. 

We'  have  already  endeavoured  to  fhew,  that  the  fecond  fcheme 
cannot  be  light ;  and  at  piefent  we  rely  on  the  proofs  exhibited. 

The  third  fcheme,  I  apprehend,  is  perfectly  new  :  its  novelty 
will,  it  is  to  be  feared,  be  an  objection  again  ft  it.  According  to 
this  fcheme,  the  three  verfes  point  out  to  us  only  the  officers  of  the 


(     *3     ) 

Millenium  kingdom.  Who  then  are  to  be  the  fubjects  and  proba- 
tioners ?  The  confequence  we  allow  is  unavoidable  ;  they  are  raifed 
from  the  grave  alio.  Without  entering  into  a  minute  examination  of 
this  confequence  at  prefent,  we  will  take  it  for  granted  to  benight, 
in  order  to  compare  the  fecond  and  third  fchemes  together.  It  may 
be  obferved,  that  msny  of  the  objections  of  thofe,  who  have  rea- 
foned  very  well  again!!:  a  literal  refurrection  of  Martyrs  only,  do  not 
apply  at  all  to  this  third  fcheme. 

This  third  fcheme  anfwers  fully  to  the  defcriptions  of  the  pro- 
phets, as  t©  the  converfion  of  the  Jews,  and  literally  to  what  Paul 
fays  of  it,  What  fhall  it  be,  but,  or  except  life  from  the  dead.  It 
anfwers  literally  to  what  Peter  fays,  Glad  tidings  have  been  announ- 
ced for  the  dead,  that  they  may  be' judged  according  to  men  in  the 
flefh,  but  live  according  to  God  in  the  fpir.it.  It  anfwers  literally 
to  the  idea  of  the  unbelieving  Jews  being  fubjects  of  hope,  though 
concluded  under  fin,  in  the  time  of  Paul.  It  anfwers  literally  to 
the  idea  of  all  the  families  of  the  earth,  all  nations,  tongues  and 
languages  being  bleffed  in  Abraham.  And  to  the  idea  that  the  goi- 
pel  fhall  be  preached  to  every  creature. 

I  know  not  what  idea  others  may  form  in  their  own  minds  of 
the  prerogatives  of  martyrs,  I  can  form  none  higher  than  thoffi 
prefented  to  our  minds,  by  the  third  fcheme  ;  wherein  is  it  incon- 
fiftent  with  the  genius  of  Chriftian  faith,  or  the  nature  of  Chriftian 
hope  ?  or  rather,  how  apparently  is  it  confident  with,  and  the 
completion  of  both.  The  bible  is  totally  filent  about  the  prerogatives 
of  martyrs,  and  others,  until  the  refurrection  ;  the  genius  of  faith 
directs  to  that  day,  a'id  the  nature  of  hope  points  to  the  fame  :  this 
fcheme  does  not  militate  againlt  the  freedom  and  temper  of  fpiric 
required  from  the  profeifors  of  Chriftianity,  who  are  taught  not  to 
let  their  affections  on  things  on  the  earth,  but  on  things  above,  where 
Chrift  fitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  The  predicates  of  thole 
happy  fubjects,  according  to  the  third  fcheme,  are  not  earthly  things, 
nor  do  they  require  them  by  fitting  their  affection  on  earthly  objects, 
the  third  Ichema  holds  out  to  our  view,  the  literal  accomplishment 
of  the  promifes,  to  the  faithful,  under  the  prefent  difpeniation  ;  the 
fecond  fcheme  dif cards  entirely  the  literal  accomplifhment  :  the 
apoftles  are  to  fit  on  thrones  judging  the  twelve  tribes  ;  and  here  ths 
perfons  fitting  on  thrones  are  inverted  with  judiciary  power.  Ac- 
cording to  the  fecond  fcheme,  this  power  can  only  be  exerciled 
in  parting  fentence  of  condemnation,  on  the  other,  it  may  as  well 
acquit. as  condemn:  all  the  Chrillians  under  the  prefent  difpeu- 
fation,  are  denominated,  by  being  a  holy  and  royal  priefthood 
according  to  Peter.  And  John  fpeaking  of  the  fame  body  of 
Chriftians,  fays,  and  hath  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priefts, 
and  we  fhall  reign  on  the  earth,  according  to  the  fecond  fcheme, 
this  can  never  be  literally  true  :  the  more  the  promifes  made  to 
Chriftians  are  examined,  the  more  plainly  it  will  appear,  thai  they 
have  no  completion,    till  the  day  of  the  refurnction. 

I  cannot  lee  that  the  reprelentation  of  the  refurrection,  as  viewed 
in  the  third  fcheme,  is  inconfiftent  with  any  other  defcription  of 
the  refurrection  in  the  bible  ;  it  is  in  foirie  things  more  particular 
The  defcriptions,  arc  in  the  three  vetfes,  confined  entirely   to  thof« 


v      "-4      / 

whom  ?a;il  mentions,  fA<ry  which  art  Chrijls  at  his  coming.  All  the 
qualities  and  properties  of  this  glorious  and  happy  company,  except 
a  definite  time  of  one  thoufand  years,  are  manifeftly  afciibeci  elfe- 
v/herc  to  chriftivtm,  under  the  prefent  difpenlaiien,  and  this  definite 
period  of  time,  proves  unanswerably,  that,  the  lif"  is  a  refurreftioa 
life  ;  for  the  grammatical  conftruction  is,  every  one  lived,  and  every 
one  reigned' a  thoufand  ye-ars.  I  refer  the  reader  not  to  the  tranfla- 
tion,  but  to  the  Greek.  If  by  djfagreement, "be  meant,  that  John 
has  not  told  us  in  tins  pa{T.i;e.  every  thing  about  the  relurretlion  and 
all  that  will  be  railed  at  the  fame  time,  the  fact  is  fo  ;  but  the  word 
etment,"i$  improperly  ufed  ;  a  partial  relation,  if  true,  will  not 
difagree  with  a  full  relation.  So  far  as  it  gc*es,  it  will  agree  perfe&iv, 
and  this  difcripEton  of  the  refurre&ion,  fo  far  as  it  goes,  agrees  with 
other  defections  of  the  rclunettion,  and  life  conlecjuent  thereon. 
But  in  the  figurative  lenfe  it  agrees  not  with  any  thing  to  be  found 
in  the  bible.  The  relurrettion  here  is  called  the  firft,  and  notwith- 
standing it  has  not  that  epithet  any  where  elfe,  yet  it  is  deducible 
from  other  paffages  of  fcriptute,  that  there  mull  be  a  firft  refurrecYion 
to  happy  life.  As  John  gives  us  only  a  partial  description  of  the 
refurreftjon,  it  is  in  a  paiiial  fenfe  called  the  firft  refurre&ion.  The 
reiurrcction  is  general  ;  but  John  is  here  only  defcribing  a  part  that 
are  the  moll  interefted  in  it,  and  the  epithet,  firft,  is  applied  only 
to  this  part.  The  fame  idea  is  collected  from  the  words,  hath  made 
us  kings  and  priefts,  and  we  (hall  reign  on  the  earth.  As  a  general 
refurre£tion,  it  is  the  only  one  of  the  kind,  and  cannot  properly  be 
called  the  firft.  but  as  a  refurre&ion  to  eternal  life  and  happinefs,  it 
is  the  firft,  becaute  there  muft  be  a  fecond  of  the  fame  kind.  It  is 
true  that  there  will  be  but  one  univerfal  and  general  refurreftion  of 
the  literally  dead,  but  it  is  rather  confirmed  by  other  paftages  of  tcrip- 
ture,  that  there  will  b'*,  at  different  times,  two  refurrettions  to  eternal 
life  and  happinefs.  As  John  did  no  doubt  for  wife  reafons  confine 
himlelf  to  a  defcription  of  the  happy  only,  it  affords  a  good  ground 
for  fuppofing,  that  when  he  mentions  the  reft  of  the  dead,  he  only 
has  referrence  to  thofe,  who  will  be  .  interefted  in  a  lecond  happy 
refurrettion,  becaufe  lie  does  plainly  intimate,  that  they  will  live 
again,  and  as  he  is  only  fpeaking  or  an  happy  immortal  life,  not  of 
, life  in  the  abftraft  ;, the  life  they  live  agnn,  muft  be  an  happy  im- 
mortal'lift-. 

Thcfe  ideas  are  all  eafily  adjuftcd,  and  harmonize  with  each  other, 
according  to  the  third  icheme,  but  according  to  the  fecond,  there 
can  be  no  perceivable  meaning  in  the  words,  the  Jirji.  reJurrtHion.  It 
is  to  be  the  laft  revival  of  religion  on  earth.  If  then  the  term,  re- 
furre&ion,  is  applicable  to  it,  it  fhould  be  called  the  laft  refurreftion. 
It  is  find,  the  prophecy  feems  to  fuppofc  men  in  the  ufual  ftate  of 
natuinl  fucceffion.1  Where  are  the  words  nhat  intimate  this  ?  Every 
word  feems  rnamfeftly  oppofed  to  fuch  an  idea.  It  is  faid,  that  they 
ate  reptelenteu  as  liable  to  be  milled  by  thearts  of  Satan.  I  find  no 
fuch  repielentation  but  direfrly  the  reverfe,  lb  far  as  re fp efts  the  par- 
ticular clafs  dciciib-d.  There  will  be  others  o»  earth,  and  they  will 
be  liable  to  be  deceived. 

It  is  a  charge  agninft  John,  that  he  does  not  defcribc  generally  ; 
fo  it  is  with  the  deifts,  that  the  bible  docs  not  defciibe  every   thing, 


(      25      ) 

that  enters  into  their  own  vain  imaginations.  There  is  a  manifeft 
force  and  propriety  in  all  John's  expreflions.  How  much  does  he 
deicribe  in  a  few  plain  and  intelligible  words  ?  But  the  reft  of  the 
dead,  not  oppofed  to  all  that  ever  died  literally,  oppofed  only  to  thofe 
once  dead,  but  now  happy  immortals.  But  the  reft  of  the  dead, 
implies  not  all,  that  died  literally,  beficles  thofe  before  defcribcd  ;  it 
implies  however  fully,  that  thofe  before  deicribed,  had  been  dead 
literally,  they  lived  not  again  ;  that  is,  an  immortal  happy  life.  The 
oppofition  is  not  to  exiftence  of  any  kind,  but  of  a  particular  kind. 
The  reft  of  the  dead  will  therefore  make  up  the  fum  total  of  happy 
immortals.  What  are  the  reft  of  the  dead  ?  If  all  thefe  expreflions 
be  taken  in  a  figurative  fenfe  ?  Can  there  be  any  rational  meaning 
fixed  to  them  ?  I  think  not.  Having  as  it  appears  to  me,  fully 
eftablifhed  the  fenfe  of  the  three  important  verfes,  I  am  unconcerned 
about  the  confequences.  I  know  they  will  lead  to  many  extremely 
unpleafant,  as  well  as  pleafant  ideas  ;  they  will  not  lead  to  infidelity, 
but  perhaps  they  may  induce  an  obiervation.  /  cannot  fee  as  you  do. 
I  feel  all  the  force  of  it  •,  go  on  ye  figurative  conftruftors,  preach  up 
enigmas,  figure  and  abfurdity  ;  your  time  is  fhort,  and  your  field  is 
contracted  and  contrafting.  Shall  he  find  faith  on  earth  ?  Yes  a 
genuine  pharefaical  faith,  which  would  not  have  believed,  though. 
the  preacher  had  come  from  the  dead.  I  am  far  from  wifhing  to  im- 
pofe  my  ideas  upon  any  perfon ;  but  if  I  could  irritate  an  examina- 
tion, I  believe  it  would  tend  not  only  to  mollify  the  irritation,  but 
to  elucidate  an  infinitely  important  fubjecl. 

The  great  number  of  authors  that  have  favoured  a  figurative  con- 
ftru&ion,  have  no  great  weight  in  my  mind,  for  this  reafon,  when 
one  author  of  confiderable  eminence  has  advanced  a  fentiment,  twenty 
others  borrow  it  from  him,  without  giving  credit,  and  without  ex- 
amination ;  fo  that  in  faft  we  have  but  the  authority  of  one  man  for 
the  fentiment.  Ihis  is,  I  believe,  peculiarly  applicable  to  writers 
on  prophecy. 

If  the  great  event  of  a  total  change  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth,  by  a  general  refurre&ion  is  as  near  at  hand,  as  I  have  endea- 
voured to  make  appear,  I  cannot  find  any  better  and  more  apt  words 
to  illuftrate  my  ideas  of  the  ftate  of  civil  and  political  fociety,  from 
this  time  to  that  event,  than  thofe  of  the  apoftle  Paul,  2.  Tim.  3.  1. 
This  know  alfo,  that  in  the  laft  days  perilous  times  fhall  come  ;  for 
Men  fhall  be  lovers  of  their  ownfelves,  covetous,  boafters,  proud, 
blafphemers,  difobedient  to  parents,  unthankful,  unholy,  without 
natural  affe&ion,  truce  breakers,  falle  accufers,  incontinent,  firce, 
defpifers  of  thofe  that  are  good,  traitors,  heady,  high  minded,  Rovers 
of  pleafure  more  than  lovers  of  God  ;  having  a  form  of  godlinefs  but 
denying  the  power  thereof; — from  iuch  turn  away. 

I  have  remarked  before,  that  the  Papal  power  has  not  been  guilty 
of  apoftacy  :  it  adheres  to  the  infpiration  of  the  fcripturcs,  and  to 
many  of  the  effential  doctrines  of  the  gofpel ;  and  it  is  not  to  be 
queftioned,  but  many  Roman  Catholics  have  lived  and  died  fincere 
Chriftians.  The  Mahometans  are  not  apoftates.  Mahomet  himfelf 
was  a  Pagan  ;    the  Arabians  were  gentite    idolaters  ;    the  great  body 

of    ]VTahnmptan<:     ha\r*»    nnt    V»*»*»n    miiltti    r\P   ■n-.^A-o^,,  .      t),o„  .»<•■    «,»,■ 


(       26       ) 

of  character,  and  therefore  we  find  that  they  are  called  Gentile* 
Rev.  ii.  2.  for  it  is  given  unto  the  Gentiles;  and  the  holy  city 
fhall  they  tread  under  foot  forty-two  months. 

If  neither  the  Papal  power,  nor  the  Mahometan  power,  have  been 
guilty  of  apoftacy ;  what  power  is  it,  that  Paul  defcribes  2.  ThefT.  2. 
Now  I  beieech  you  b  ethren,  by  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift 
and  by  our  gathering  together  unto,  that  ye  be  not  foon  fhaken  in 
mind,  or  troubled,  &c.  as  that  the  day  of  Chrift  is  at  hand.  For 
that  day  fhall  not  come,  except  there  come  a  falling  away  (or  an 
apoftacy)  firft,  and  that  man  of  fin  be  revealed,  the  Ton  of  perdi- 
tion :  who  oppofeth  and  exalteth  himfelf  above  all  that  is  called 
God,  or  that  is  worfhipped.  For  the  miftery  of  iniquity  doth  al- 
ready woik  ;  only  he  who  now  letteth,  will  let,  until  he  be  taken 
out  of  the  way;  and  then  fhall  that  wicked  be  revealed,  whom  the 
Lord  fhall  coniume  with  the  fpirit  of  his  mouth,  and  fhall  deftroy 
with  the  brightnefs  of  his  coming  ;  even  him  whofe  coming  is  after 
the  working  of  Satan  with  all  power,  and  figns,  and  lying  wonders, 
,  and  with  all  deceiveablenefs  of  unrighteouinefs  in  them  that  perifh, 
becaufe  they  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be 
faved  ;  and  for  this  caufe  God  fhall  fend  them  ftrong  delufion  ;  that 
they  fhould  believe  a  lye,  that  they  all  might  be  damned  who  be- 
lived  not  the  truth,  but  had  pleafure  in  unrighteouinefs. 

I  need  (carcely  remark  here,  that  this  coming  is  extremely  dif- 
ferent from  Chrift's  coming  invidbly  by  gracious  influences  ;  the 
day  of  coming  is  not  to  be  till  lometime  after  the  ex'ftence  of  a  very 
wicked  power,  which  if  it  has  made  his  appearance  at  all,  is  but  very 
lately,  and  man)'  of  the  foregoing  chara&eriftics  apply  naturally  and 
Unavoidably  to  a  power  that  haslately  began  to  exift.  If  the  coming 
of  Chrift  intended  no  more  than  a  revival  of  religion,  by  the  invifible 
operations  of  the  holy  Spirit,  why  fhould  the  Theffalonians  be  in 
great  trouble  and  anxiety  about  it  ?  Paul  lays,  when  he  was  yet  with 
them,  he  told  them  thele  things.  It  feems  evidently  that  their 
anxious  minds  were  troubled  from  a  miiconception  of  the  time, 
which  they  apprehended  to  be  then  near  at  hand.  To  allay  their 
anxiety,  he  does  not  tell  them  how  long  it  will  be  to  that  coming, 
but  he  gives  them  and  us  through  them,  who  are  more  immediately 
interefled  in  it,  the  'character  of  a  certain  power  that  muft  precede 
that  coming  ;  till  which  power  appears,  there  is  no  occahon  to  be 
anxious  about  it,  becaufe  the  awful  deft  ruction  which  will  take  placa 
at  the  time  of  that  coming,  will  not  be  before  luch  a  remarkable  power 
rifes  up. 

If  Paul  who  appears  not  to  have  been  a  man  of  weak  nerves,  or 
of  a  melancholy  difpofition,  could  not  refrain  from  weeping  when 
he  informed  the  Philippians  of  the  certain  deftru&ion  that  awaited 
the  enemies  of  the  crols  of  Chrift;  it  is  not  improbable  that  a  like 
circumftance  might  have  taken  place  when  he  was  with  the  Theffa- 
lonians,  and  addreffcd  them  personally  on  an  event,  the  moft  tragic 
and  awful  that  ever  did,  or  will  happen.  It  is  evident  that  he  did 
addrels  them  in  luch  a  manner,  as  to  make  a  deep  and  lafting  im- 
prelTion  on  their  minds;  and  lo  as  to  make  them  extremely  concerned 
about  the  event,  they  not  knowing  but  it  might  happen  in  their  day, 


(    *7    ) 

If  the  French  Republic  be  in  fa£t  the  man  of  fin  (and  I  think  we 
may  not  decide  pofitively  that  it  is  not)  it  will  indeeed  be  a  terrible 
Republic,  and  I  wifh  fincerely  that  we  may  ufe  that  kind  of  lan- 
guage towards  her,  which  Solomon  fays  has  a  tendency  to  turn  away 
wrath  ;  for  if  we  fhould  be  drawn  into  a  war  with  her,   there  is  rea- 
fon  to  fear  that  we  fhould  become  a  part  of  the  man  of  fin.     Ye  men 
of  God,  ye  reverend  Clergy,  cry  aloud  and  fpare  not.     Vice  like  an 
impetuous  irrefiftable  torrent,  rolls  on  with  an  accelerated  geometrical 
progreffion.     Recent  expeiience  will  fuggeft  the  moft  powerful  argu- 
ments, to  avoid   WAR,  the  enemy    of  morals  and   the   moft  bitter 
fcourge  of  *the  human  race.     Contraft  the  prefent  morals  of  the  Uni- 
ted States,   with  what    they  were  thirty  years  ago  ;  the  contraft  pre- 
sents an  image,  that  is  Sufficient  to  make  the  whole  head  fick,  and 
the  whole  heart  faint.     And  has  not   war  produced   this   alarming 
change.     What  then  would  be  the  effefts  of  another  war  ?  If  this 
proftration  of  morals,  and  deftru&ion  of  the  fences  of  virtue  be  not 
the  moft  painful  confideration,  let  me  appeal  to  felf-intereft.     Have 
ye  forgot  your  fufferings  in  the  late  war  ?   Is  your  profpect  any  bet- 
ter in  cafe  of  another  war  ?  Will  the  fame,  or  will  any  foreign  ave- 
nues be  open,  through  which  we  may  obtain  articles  of  the  moft  in- 
difpenfible  neceffity  ?  If  we  are  fhut  out  of  every  foreign  country, 
our  internal  resources  will  foon  be  dried  up,  and  if  there  fhould  not 
be  a  renewal  of  paper  money,  and  tender  laws,    fimilar  effefts  muffc 
be  produced  in  fome  other  way.     Will  you  not  then  be  tempted  to 
curfe  God  and  die  ?     If  you  fhould  not  be,  it  is  not  improbable  but 
the  people  might  be  tempted  to  curfe  you,  and  let   you    die.     The 
profeffors  of  the  Chriftian  religion  will  retire  into  private  corners, 
unable  to  refift  the  deadly  and  inexorable  adverfary,  who  as  God  fit- 
teth  in  the  temple  of  God,  fhewing  himfelf  that  he  is  God,  who  has 
already  turned  an  accufer,  and  charged  the  chiftian  religion  with  be- 
ing the  caufe  of  all  the  wickednefs  and  bloodfhed  that   has  been  in 
the  world   for  about   1  700  years.     The  plea  of  innocency,  in  the 
mouth  of  the  weak,  will  be  confidered  as  an  incurable  obftinate   fa- 
naticifm,  improper  to  be  indulged  with  the  enjoyment  of  any  civil 
rights.     How  inconfiderable  will  be  the  number  that  will  find  con- 
futation under  fuch  accumulated  misfortunes  ?  Yet  there  will  be  fome 
who  will  join  with  the  prophet,  and  fay,  although  the  fig  tree  fhall 
not  ■bloflbm,   neither  fhall  fruit  be   in  the   vines  ;  the  labour  of  the 
olive  fhall  fail,  and  the  fields  fhall  yield  no  meat,  the  flock  fhall  be  cut 
off  from  the  fold,  and  there  fhall  be  no  herd  in  the  (tails  ;  yet  I  will 
rejoice  in  the  Lord  ;  who   will  hide  me  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand, 
till  the  trouble  be  overpaft.     Weeping  may  endure  for  the  night, 
but  Joy  fhall  come  in  the  morning. 


FINIS. 


-     tfr    * 


;  C^jjg  §W     ^  J\f 


*v,vn«K- 


np^% 


**Jp'«s^\> 


